Influencer claimed that she was suffering neurological symptoms from the COVID-19 vaccination.
It is not known if the vaccine can cause neurological symptoms.
Neurologists warn that similar viral videos could fuel vaccine hesitancy.
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GoFundMe stated that it is investigating a fundraiser for an influencer. She claimed she was suffering from a range of neurological symptoms after receiving her first dose of the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination.
Dominique De Silva has more than 98,000 Instagram followers. She posts about her life as a real-estate agent, and also the times she spent in Las Vegas before moving to North Carolina. After claiming that she was suffering neurological symptoms due to the COVID-19 vaccination, she became a viral sensation on the platform.
The FDA approved the Pfizer vaccine for adults 16 and older. It is safe and effective.
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke says there is no evidence of a causal relationship between COVID-19 vaccinations and neurological illnesses.
Experts warn that viral videos such as De Silva's can fuel vaccine hesitancy and create a major crisis for the US.
Insider was told by a spokesperson for GoFundMe that the company's Trust & Safety team was investigating a fundraising campaign titled "Help Dominique recover after the Covid-19 vaccine". It listed De Silva as the beneficiary. It has received more than $18,400 in donations to date.
Insider was informed by a spokesperson that GoFundMe had reached out to them for more information and would handle refund requests from donors according to the standard refund policy.
The story of De Silva went viral on social media
In a July 17 Instagram posting, De Silva claimed that she was suffering neurological symptoms due to the COVID-19 vaccination. Instagram deleted her post but it is still active. It included a notice that stated: "COVID-19 vaccines are subject to many safety and effectiveness tests and are closely monitored."
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According to SocialBlade data, the social-media analytics site SocialBlade, she has at least 53 800 followers on Instagram since her viral post.
Insider did not receive an Instagram comment.
De Silva claimed on social media and her blog that she is experiencing symptoms such as dystonia, difficulty moving, weakness in her legs and vertigo. She also claims to have short-term memory loss, difficulty forming sentences and brain fog.
After she repeated the claim in a viral video, her TikTok account now has over 311,000 followers. It is not clear what caused its removal. Insider reached out to TikTok for comment but they did not respond.
Since her viral posts, De Silva has been under scrutiny online, especially on platforms such as Reddit or TikTok. De Silva posted a TikTok video on Saturday showing a photo of her purported vaccine card. The identifying numbers were censored. She said she received accusations that she was faking her illness.
On Wednesday, she posted an Instagram reel that included partially redacted documents. It appeared that she had received a dose from Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. She also had hospital bills and post-visit summaries which matched some of her symptoms and diagnostic tests.
Insider did not reach De Silva for comment.
Neurologists examined the relationship between vaccinations and functional neurological disorders.
De Silva claims that some of her health problems are similar to functional neurological disorder (FND), which is a condition where people have neurological symptoms without structural damage. De Silva claimed that she was diagnosed as having dystonia, which is involuntary muscle contractions. However, De Silva did not claim to have been diagnosed.
FND's exact cause is not known, but "abnormal psychological and physical experiences" can trigger it, according to the Functional Neurological Disorder Society (FNDS), in a January press release.
The FNDS explained to CTV News that this could include having blood drawn or spraining a hand. According to Dr. Alfonso Fasano (a neurology professor at University of Toronto, and a staff neurologist at Toronto Western Hospital), it could also be caused by vaccination.
The problem is not with the vaccine. According to an April JAMA Neurology article, researchers think that FND may be caused by "factors such a belief, expectations, heightened bodily awareness, arousal and threat/emotional Processing".
The article stated that FND can theoretically occur with a trigger like injecting saline. However, these events don't mean that the current vaccines are inherently unsafe.
Fasano stated that FND is very common. According to the Mayo Clinic, FND can manifest with weakness or paralysis as well as tremors, loss balance, episodes of unresponsiveness and seizures.
Doctors warn that this type of post could encourage vaccine hesitancy
On March 25, 2021, a medical assistant administered a COVID-19 vaccination dose to a woman in Los Angeles. Mario Tama/Getty Images
Neurologists are concerned about viral videos such as De Silva's, which link neurological symptoms to COVID-19 vaccinations. They advocate for more clarity and messaging regarding the connection between FND (flu shot) and vaccination.
Gallup polls found that one in four Americans don't want to be vaccinated with COVID-19. There was misinformation and concern about side effects. Insider reported that vaccine hesitancy is responsible for the rise in the more dangerous Delta coronavirus.
The FNDS warns against viral videos that suggest neurological complications following COVID-19 vaccination. They could give the public a false impression that there are neurological complications. This concern was echoed in the JAMA Neurology article.
Fasano stated, "I believe people need to take responsibility for what they do, especially if there are many followers."
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