Military base flu outbreak sparks conversation about the importance of routine vaccines

Additionally, social media users both celebrated and dismissed two recent studies on the benefits of COVID-19 and HPV vaccines.

In late June, the Pentagon restored flu vaccine requirements for military personnel after a large flu outbreak at a Texas Air Force base, leading to discussion online about the severity of flu and importance of routine vaccines. Meanwhile, two studies published in June found, respectively, that COVID-19 vaccines reduce the risk of infection-related heart attacks and strokes and that HPV vaccines virtually eliminated cervical cancer deaths in women who received them at ages 12 or 13. The studies sparked debate online about the vaccines’ safety and necessity.

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What’s trending in vaccine conversations

In late June, the Pentagon reinstated flu vaccination requirements for military recruits, just two months after making the vaccine optional. The reversal followed a flu outbreak at a central Texas Air Force training base that infected nearly 300 trainees, hospitalized four, and killed one. Many online noted that the policy change and subsequent reversal demonstrated in real time the importance of routine vaccines, emphasizing that the flu can be severe and potentially deadly, even for young, otherwise healthy people. Some vaccine opponents argued that the death was not flu-related and claimed without evidence that troops are being given an mRNA-based flu vaccine, which is not available. Several posts touted unproven “natural” flu remedies and falsely claimed that flu vaccines make people more susceptible to infection.

A recent large JAMA study finding that the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine lowered the risk of COVID-19 infection-related cardiovascular events, including heart attack and stroke, has sparked debate online. The study found that older adults and those with underlying health conditions saw the most dramatic reductions in risk. Some social media users shared the study as further evidence of the importance of staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccines, while others claimed without evidence that the study results were false or misleading.

A June Lancet study revealed that girls in the U.K. who received the HPV vaccine at ages 12 or 13 had almost no risk of dying from cervical cancer, with no cervical cancer deaths reported among women ages 20 to 24 over five years. Some online commenters shared the study to highlight the vaccine’s effectiveness. Others dismissed the study as propaganda, repeated myths about the HPV vaccine’s alleged safety risks, and expressed hesitance about vaccinating their children.

Read the fact checks: 

• Public Good News: Don’t let these myths stop you from getting your flu shot 
• FactCheck.org: Q&A on the 2025-2026 COVID-19 Vaccines 
• HealthyChildren.org: HPV Vaccine: What Parents Need to Know

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Recommendations for public health professionals

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 developing strategy for messaging about vaccines.

Outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases like the flu may prompt discussions about vaccine effectiveness and necessity, especially among people who are not at high risk of severe illness. Health communicators may emphasize that universal flu vaccination for people 6 months and older is backed by decades of evidence showing the vaccine is safe, protects against disease spread, and reduces the risk of infection, severe illness, hospitalization, serious complications, and death. Messaging may continue to lead with evidence from trusted sources—such as the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases and the American Heart Association—and explain that flu infections can be severe and potentially deadly even in healthy individuals. Debunking messaging may also explain that rigorous large-scale research has shown that flu vaccines do not increase infection risk.

Conversation about new COVID-19 vaccine research provides an opportunity to explain the benefits of vaccination ahead of the fall respiratory virus season. Messaging may explain that COVID-19 vaccines protect against severe illness, hospitalization, long COVID, and death. Health communicators may explain that many large-scale studies have consistently found that being vaccinated against COVID-19 reduces your risk of cardiovascular events, including heart attack and stroke, related to a COVID-19 infection. Messaging may also explain that over five years of rigorous research, including clinical trials, show that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and that serious adverse reactions are extremely rare.

Messaging about the HPV vaccine may use the recent research to continue highlighting the large body of evidence showing the safety and importance of getting the vaccine at the recommended age. Health communicators may emphasize that millions of people have safely received the HPV vaccine over the past 20 years. Explaining that many large studies have found that HPV vaccination in early adolescence reduces cervical cancer by around 90 percent is recommended. Messaging may also encourage parents and caregivers to talk with their child’s pediatrician about when to get vaccinated, highlighting that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends vaccination between ages 9 and 12, although anyone 9 to 45 can receive it.