Nurse uses key, hairpin to try to prove she is magnetic from vaccine during Ohio House hearing (video)

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - A woman who identified herself as a nurse practitioner student tried to defend an Ohio doctor’s unproven claim by proving she actually is magnetic after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

Joanna Overholt, who said she previously worked in an intensive care unit and is currently a nurse practitioner student, spoke during Tuesday’s Ohio House Health Committee hearing as a proponent for House Bill 248.

Overholt used her time at the podium to try to defend a myth shared by Cleveland-area physician Dr. Sherri Tenpenny, who claimed that the COVID-19 vaccine leads to magnetism and causes metal objects to stick to the shot recipient’s body.

During the demonstration, Overholt tried to prove Dr. Tenpenny’s point to be true by sticking a key and bobby pin to her skin at the hearing for the “Enact Vaccine Choice and Anti-Discrimination Act.”

“Explain to me why the key sticks to me. It sticks to my neck, too,” Overholt said. “If somebody could explain this, that would be great.”

Both objects fell off Overholt’s skin.

Wow. An anti-vaccine nurse in Ohio tried to prove the Vaccines Cause Magnetism theory in an state legislative committee. The demonstration did not go to plan pic.twitter.com/0ubELst4E8 — Tyler Buchanan (@Tylerjoelb) June 9, 2021

Overholt’s testimony begins around the 14-minute mark:

Since Tuesday, the Ohio House Health Committee hearing has become a joke on social media, with many making memes out of the testimonies of Overholt and Dr. Tenpenny.

Doctor in Ohio makes lunatic claim that vaccines make recipients magnetic https://t.co/TuAagZgEfN — Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) June 10, 2021

What’s wild is that being a nurse is insanely difficult and this woman was at one point smart enough to get through nursing school, etc. https://t.co/4pqfIv2K3y — Nick Parco (@nick_parco) June 9, 2021

"Ladies and gentlemen: This pencil is supposedly made of wood, but if I hold it like so between my fingers and jiggle it—"

"—it's obviously rubber. Does anyone want to explain that?" https://t.co/2UcB5WBRQJ — Steve McPherson (@steventurous) June 9, 2021

It's all fun and games until you find out the vaccine can magnetize aluminum. https://t.co/IbjtGNODdX — Tristan Greene 🏳‍🌈 (@mrgreene1977) June 9, 2021

I have so many questions ... https://t.co/7LRzZqklCG — Céilí Doyle (@cadoyle_18) June 9, 2021

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention already debunked the magnetic side effect rumor:

“Receiving a COVID-19 vaccine will not make you magnetic, including at the site of vaccination which is usually your arm. COVID-19 vaccines do not contain ingredients that can produce an electromagnetic field at the site of your injection. All COVID-19 vaccines are free from metals such as iron, nickel, cobalt, lithium, and rare earth alloys, as well as any manufactured products such as microelectronics, electrodes, carbon nanotubes, and nanowire semiconductors. In addition, the typical dose for a COVID-19 vaccine is less than a milliliter, which is not enough to allow magnets to be attracted to your vaccination site even if the vaccine was filled with a magnetic metal.”

Both Overholt and Dr. Tenpenny participated in the hearing in support of House Bill 248, which would prohibit mandatory vaccinations and status disclosures if passed.