Conflicting COVID-19 vaccine guidance fuels online debate

This week, U.S. health officials and anti-vaccine advocates amplified fears about COVID-19 vaccine development, regulation, and safety.

This week, online users discussed the release of evidence-based vaccine guidance by experts as federal health officials continue to promote false and misleading claims about COVID-19 vaccines. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists was the latest physicians’ group to contradict federal guidance and release its own COVID-19, flu, and RSV vaccine recommendations for pregnant people. Meanwhile, a prominent anti-vaccine figure was tapped to lead a new federal working group on COVID-19 vaccines, fueling public fears that the federal government may be planning to heavily restrict or ban COVID-19 vaccines. Finally, a viral image resurfaced the myth that COVID-19 vaccines were developed too fast to be safe, sparking a debate about vaccine development and safety testing.

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What’s trending in vaccine conversation:

Days after the American Academy of Pediatrics released an immunization guide that broke with CDC guidance on COVID-19 vaccines for children, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists published its own vaccine guide recommending COVID-19, flu, and RSV vaccines for pregnant people. The updated guidance comes as the FDA reportedly approved updated COVID-19 vaccines only for people 65 and older and people 6 months and older with at least one underlying health condition. Many social media users expressed support for both groups’ guidance, but feared that insurance may not cover the vaccines without federal recommendations. Vaccine opponents argued that people should reject immunization schedules and falsely claimed that COVID-19 vaccines are too big a “risk” for young children and pregnant people.

On August 25, news broke that an anti-COVID-19 vaccine advocate who called for the immediate withdrawal of COVID-19 vaccines was appointed to lead a CDC working group on COVID-19 vaccines. Many online voiced concern that the individual, who has repeatedly promoted false claims about COVID-19 vaccine safety, will lead a working group tasked with assessing the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines. The news comes as speculation is circulating online that the federal government may be planning to pull COVID-19 vaccines from the market “within months.” Some anti-vaccine accounts celebrated the news, while others suggested that it was “too little, too late.”

An August 19 social media post reignited the years-old claim that COVID-19 vaccines were developed “too fast” and questioned why vaccines against HIV, the common cold, and cancer haven’t been developed yet. The post has been viewed over 3.8 million times and received nearly 20,000 responses as of August 27. Many replies to the post claim that the COVID-19 pandemic was planned, that all vaccines are “poison,” and that vaccines cause diseases like AIDS and cancer. Some users criticized the post for promoting misleading claims and misunderstanding how vaccines work or are developed, while others noted that there are highly effective HIV preventatives and vaccines that protect against certain cancers.

Read the fact checks: 

• ACOG: ACOG Releases Updated Maternal Immunization Guidance for COVID-19, Influenza, and RSV 
• KFF: How Does the Federal Government Monitor Vaccine Safety?
• University of California: The COVID vaccine came out super quickly. Here’s why it’s safe.

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Talking points for health care providers to use in response to trending narratives

Each week the Infodemiology.com team will provide talking points and supporting messages in response to some of the trending narratives outlined above. Health care providers can use this messaging when discussing vaccines online, talking to patients, or engaging with communities.

Why do doctors still recommend COVID-19 vaccination? Because it protects their patients.

• COVID-19 has changed a lot since the beginning of the pandemic. But one thing remains the same: Vaccines are still the best protection for people of all ages.
• Vaccination reduces the risk of severe illness, long COVID, and death, especially in young children and older, pregnant, and immunocompromised people who are at higher risk from COVID-19.
• Children under 2 years old have the highest COVID-19 hospitalization rate after older adults. COVID-19 vaccines help keep infants and young children out of the hospital. 
• Research suggests that getting a COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy reduces your and your newborn’s risk of becoming severely ill.

COVID-19 vaccines, like all vaccines, are rigorously tested and monitored for safety.

• COVID-19 vaccines were tested for safety and effectiveness in some of the largest clinical trials in history. 
• In the nearly five years that COVID-19 vaccines have been available, researchers and health authorities around the world have rigorously tested and monitored their safety.
• How do we know COVID-19 vaccines are safe? Because billions of people worldwide have received COVID-19 vaccines in the last five years, and are perfectly fine.

COVID-19 vaccines were developed at record speed. Five years of research prove they’re safe. 

• mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are groundbreaking but not untested. They are the result of over half a century of dedicated research by experts worldwide. 
• COVID-19 vaccines were developed quickly because they were based on decades of research on mRNA technology and coronaviruses, which had already caused two epidemics before COVID-19. 
• Scientists have investigated the safety of mRNA vaccines for over five years with no evidence of widespread health issues.
  
  Interested in recommendations tailored to public health professionals? Click here.