AAP FACTCHECK – Australia’s prime minister has been photographed getting vaccinated for mpox, social media posts claim.
This is false. The image was posted by a parody account and actually shows Prime Minister Anthony Albanese getting a COVID-19 booster shot in 2022.
Facebook posts are sharing a screenshot of an X post which features a photo of Mr Albanese receiving a vaccination.
The X post, written as if from the prime minister himself, says: “Just got my monkey pox vaccine to protect myself and prevent further transmission to the broader community.”
The screenshot has been shared to Facebook as if the X post is legitimately from Mr Albanese.
One Facebook post suggests it’s part of a new “vaccine hoax”, while another post calls Mr Albanese “A Complete Imbecile”.
But the screenshot is from a well-known Albanese parody account on X with the handle “@AlboIsPM”.
The account is called “Anthony Albanese Australian Labor Parody”, and in its bio says “Fake Prime Minister of Australia”.
The X parody post was published on September 19, 2024, but the photo itself dates back to an X post by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia on July 13, 2022.
The Pharmacy Guild’s post said Mr Albanese had received his second COVID booster and his flu shot.
“Adore Pharmacy in Rozelle was the preferred choice for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to have both his flu and COVID-19 second booster dose yesterday,” the post reads.
AAP photographer Dean Lewins was at the same event and took a series of similar shots, dated July 12, 2022, noting the image showed Mr Albanese getting a COVID booster.
Mr Albanese’s official X account, @AlboMP, also posted a video of the moment on the same day, with the caption “Book your booster”.
The prime minister’s most recent statement on mpox was a joint statement on September 21 with the leaders of India, Japan and the US amid the Quad Leaders’ Summit.
He said: “In response to the current clade I mpox outbreak, as well as the ongoing clade II mpox outbreak, we plan to coordinate our efforts to promote equitable access to safe, effective, quality-assured mpox vaccines, including where appropriate expanding vaccine manufacturing in low and middle-income countries.”
The Verdict
False – The claim is inaccurate.
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