FALSE: Moderna created the coronavirus and inserted HIV into it

At a glance

• Claim: Moderna created the coronavirus and inserted HIV into it.
• Rating: FALSE
• The facts: The coronavirus does not contain HIV. Moderna did not create the coronavirus. The appearance of the same genetic sequence as that patented by Moderna also appears in the genes of other animals and bacteria.
• Why we fact-checked this: The video with this claim has over 1,300 reactions and 1,200 comments.

Complete details

A Facebook post claims that the presence of the gene sequence that has been patented by Moderna in the spike proteins of the coronavirus proves that they manufactured the virus. 

The post goes on to say that Moderna also allegedly added the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) into the coronavirus. 

This claim is false. 

The scientists, who hail from various research institutions, found the patented gene sequence of Moderna in the spike protein of the coronavirus, but they admit that their finding still requires further investigation for potential explanations. They published their findings so that others may look further into them.

Other scientists believe that the presence of the gene sequence is purely coincidental. Moderna’s patented gene sequence has also been found to occur in nature, such as in bacterium and in a chimney swift (a kind of bird). 

There is also no proof that the coronavirus spike proteins or that the virus itself contains HIV or parts of HIV, nor does the vaccine against it. We know this because various researchers have fully sequenced the coronavirus and its many variants and found no evidence it contains the genome of HIV. 

You can read more about COVID-19 related fact checks here. – Renzo Arceta/Rappler.com

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