Online debate continues following claim that taking Tylenol after vaccination triggers autism

Plus, posts discuss vaccine-preventable outbreaks and the benefits of shingles vaccination.

This week’s online vaccine conversations were again dominated by reactions to unproven claims that Tylenol use is linked to autism. As viral posts and videos promoted a host of myths about vaccine ingredients and safety, multiple states reported record-high levels of vaccine-preventable diseases. Meanwhile, discussions about shingles highlighted a mix of positive attitudes toward the shingles vaccine and misleading information about the disease’s cause.

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What’s trending in vaccine conversation:

Conversations about autism continued to spike online following the White House’s acetaminophen announcement. One clip of President Donald Trump claiming that Amish communities have “virtually no autism” has been viewed over 2.7 million times. Many commenters repeated the unproven claim that Amish autism rates are lower because they don’t vaccinate their children, while others argued that children in the insular communities are less likely to be diagnosed. Several viral posts suggested without evidence that taking Tylenol after vaccination causes autism, claiming that the medication prevents vaccine “detoxification.” Several posts reference a genetic mutation that vaccine opponents claim causes severe vaccine reactions, claiming that Tylenol and vaccines trigger the mutation to cause autism. Finally, viral Spanish-language videos spread false claims about the safety of several vaccine ingredients and suggest delaying vaccines until after age 5. Responses to the videos falsely link childhood vaccines to multiple “injuries,” including cancer and autism.

News of measles cases in three states and deaths from pediatric flu and whooping cough sparked online discussions about the real-world impact of anti-vaccine rhetoric and declining childhood immunization. While Georgia health officials confirmed three new measles cases for a total of 10 cases this year, 69 cases have been reported in a measles outbreak along the Arizona-Utah border. Some responded to the news by dismissing it as propaganda and claiming that the measles vaccine causes more deaths than measles, while others blamed the anti-vaccine movement and encouraged parents to vaccinate their children. Meanwhile, Mississippi reported its first whooping cough death in 13 years, while Louisiana is experiencing its worst outbreak of the disease in 35 years. Additionally, a CDC report revealed that flu deaths and severe complications are on the rise in children. Commenters called the news fearmongering, claimed that vaccines do more harm than good, and doubted the effectiveness of vaccines.

A user on an online forum for older adults asked people’s opinions about shingles vaccines. Responses emphasized how “horrible” shingles is and the lasting effects of the disease. Several posters shared their experience with the vaccine and explained the benefits of vaccination. In a separate forum for middle-aged adults, users discussed side effects of shingles vaccination, with most agreeing that shingles is much worse than any potential vaccine side effect. Some commenters expressed a desire to get the vaccine before age 50. Meanwhile, trending posts and videos on multiple platforms discussed a false potential link between COVID-19 vaccination and shingles. Several posts falsely claim that COVID-19 vaccines are one of “the leading causes of shingles.”

Read the fact checks: 

• BBC: Fact-checking claims Trump made about autism 
• Yale School of Public Health: Childhood Vaccinations: Understanding the Impact and Importance of Childhood Vaccinations 
• Piedmont Healthcare: Do you need a shingles vaccine?

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Recommendations for public health professionals 

Each week, the Infodemiology.com team will provide messaging recommendations in response to some of the trending narratives outlined above. Use these helpful tips when creating content, updating web pages and FAQs, and to inform strategy for messaging about vaccines.

False and misleading claims about autism may make some parents hesitant about vaccines or acetaminophen. Debunking messaging should acknowledge parents’ concerns, while explaining that autism is a complex condition that doesn’t have a single cause. Messaging may emphasize that decades of research have found no evidence that vaccines or acetaminophen cause autism.  Continuing to highlight the medical and health expert guidance is recommended, as is encouraging people to discuss health-related concerns with their health care provider.

Parents are increasingly hesitant about routine vaccines that have been proven safe and effective for decades. Health communicators may address parents’ concerns about vaccines by emphasizing the risks of vaccine-preventable diseases and the benefits of vaccination. Messaging may highlight how herd immunity protects everyone, particularly the most vulnerable members of our communities. Talking points may explain that vaccines are the only safe way to protect children from deadly and debilitating diseases like measles and whooping cough.

Some vaccine opponents are spreading the false claim that  COVID-19 vaccines cause shingles. Debunking messaging may emphasize that shingles is caused by the herpes zoster virus, not vaccines. Messaging may also explain that very rarely, people with already weakened immune systems may develop shingles triggered by an infection, such as COVID-19, the flu, or a reaction to a vaccine. Communicators may also explain that getting the vaccine is the only way to prevent shingles and that people 50 and older, as well as adults with weakened immune systems, should receive two doses of the shingles vaccine.

Interested in recommendations tailored to health care providers? Click here.