Vaccines

Conflicting COVID-19 vaccine guidance causes confusion

This week, a new COVID-19 variant sparked concern and skepticism online, while a congressional hearing fueled false narratives about COVID-19 vaccine safety.

Conflicting COVID-19 vaccine guidance causes confusion

This week, a new COVID-19 variant sparked concern and skepticism online, while a congressional hearing fueled false narratives about COVID-19 vaccine safety.

This week, updates to the federal COVID-19 vaccine recommendations and a congressional hearing dominated online discussions about vaccines. Days after HHS announced that the CDC would stop recommending COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children and pregnant people, the agency included the vaccines in its updated childhood vaccine schedule, causing confusion and concern about vaccine access. Reports of a new COVID-19 variant that could increase cases and hospitalizations have added to these concerns. Meanwhile, a recent congressional hearing provided a platform for several anti-vaccine figures to promote false claims about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines.

Insights brought to you by the reporters and science writers of Public Good News (PGN), a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to improving community health.

On May 27, the HHS secretary shared a video announcing that the CDC will no longer recommend COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children and pregnant people. Many social media users responded to the announcement with dismay, noting that experts in the field, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Infectious Diseases Society of America, condemned the change. Other social media users celebrated the news as a “step in the right direction.” However, the CDC’s updated recommended childhood immunization schedule states that healthy children and teens may receive COVID-19 vaccines through “shared clinical decision-making” between parents and health care providers.

On May 23, WHO announced that it is monitoring the COVID-19 variant NB.1.8.1, which is linked to a spike in cases and hospitalizations in several countries. Experts warn that the variant may cause a surge in U.S. COVID-19 cases this summer, but emphasize that there is currently no indication that it causes more severe illness than other recently dominant variants. Online discussions of the variant focused on symptoms, prevention measures, and the potential impact of recent federal COVID-19 guidance changes on vaccine uptake. Some users expressed confusion about who is eligible for 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccines, while others were unsure if insurance would cover the vaccines. Many social media users declared that they don’t care about COVID-19 and dismissed news coverage as fearmongering. Several posts claimed that current vaccines won’t work because they are mismatched to newer variants.

A May 21 congressional hearing and report, led by a congressman who had previously promoted COVID-19 conspiracy theories, accuses federal health officials of misleading the public about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines. The report alleges that the officials downplayed the risks of COVID-19 vaccination, particularly myocarditis, and failed to warn the public. Several well-known anti-vaccine advocates testified during the hearing, claiming without evidence that COVID-19 vaccines caused an increase in cardiac deaths and miscarriages. This comes as news broke that the FDA asked Pfizer and Moderna in April to update the warning labels on their COVID-19 vaccines regarding potential cardiac risks. Social media users responded to the testimony, report, and updated warning label by promoting a host of false claims about mRNA vaccines and COVID-19 vaccine safety. Some users also resurfaced the myth that COVID-19 vaccines are killing or injuring thousands of athletes.

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Check out more data on trends in vaccine narratives

Recommendations brought to you by the health communication experts behind Infodemiology.com.

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.

COVID-19 vaccines protect people of all ages and health statuses. 

  • COVID-19 can cause serious illness and lasting health issues in people of all ages, including healthy children and teens. Pregnant people are at increased risk of developing severe illness and serious complications from COVID-19.  
  • Getting vaccinated helps reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and long COVID in children and protect pregnant people and newborns.
  • Five years of research have shown that COVID-19 vaccines are safe for children, teens, and pregnant individuals.

Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself and your family against new COVID-19 variants this summer.

  • A new COVID-19 variant that is increasing cases and hospitalizations in several countries has been detected in the U.S. Experts believe it may cause a surge in cases this summer.
  • Vaccination is still the best way to help protect against COVID-19, since 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccines protect against the new variant. 
  • The best time to get vaccinated is before cases start to rise.

COVID-19 vaccines have been proven safe. Billions of people around the world have been safely vaccinated over the last five years.

  • We know that COVID-19 vaccines are safe because they have undergone five years of rigorous safety testing and monitoring. 
  • More than 70 percent of the world’s population has received a COVID-19 vaccine since 2020, and there is no evidence that the vaccines are unsafe.
  • Getting vaccinated helps reduce the risk of COVID-19-related heart complications.


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