Michael Sweet regrets COVID-19 vaccine, cites eye and thyroid issues

Michael Sweet, the frontman of Christian rock band STRYPER, posted on social media that he regrets receiving the COVID‑19 vaccine during the pandemic. He said the shots were required for touring but linked the vaccination to two serious health problems he experienced: a retinal detachment that occurred after his first dose and a diagnosis of papillary thyroid cancer a few years later. Sweet emphasized that he cannot prove a causal relationship and stated he will not take another COVID‑19 vaccine.

His comments were made a day after Dr. Anthony Fauci declined to answer U.S. senators' questions at a hearing on the origins of COVID‑19. Health authorities continue to assert that extensive safety monitoring shows COVID‑19 vaccines are safe and effective, and a recent Lancet review confirmed the vaccines' safety while highlighting the broader potential of mRNA technology for other diseases.