Viral flu post receives overwhelmingly positive response
This week, health officials repeated false and misleading claims about vaccines, while a viral post promoted flu vaccines.
This week, health officials repeated false and misleading claims about vaccines, while a viral post promoted flu vaccines.
An unprecedented reversal of state vaccine policy and a Senate hearing that resurfaced a host of anti-vaccine myths dominated online vaccine conversations this week. Florida’s plan to end all vaccine requirements set off a wave of debate about childhood vaccines and parental freedom. The announcement came as the health secretary faced questioning about his anti-vaccine views, prompting calls for his resignation and a surge of conversation online. Meanwhile, a social media post advocating for flu vaccination and herd immunity received a massive and overwhelmingly positive response.
Insights brought to you by the reporters and science writers of Public Good News (PGN), a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to improving community health.
What’s trending in vaccine conversation:
On September 3, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the state’s surgeon general, Dr. Joseph Ladapo, announced plans to eliminate all vaccine requirements in the state, including those required for school enrollment. The move would make Florida the only state not to require routine immunizations to enroll in K-12 school. Ladapo vowed that his health department would overturn state vaccine requirements through legislative action. Public health experts criticized the announcement, warning that a reversal of vaccine policy will lead to outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. Responses to the news were mixed, with critics fearing that the decision would undermine public health progress and supporters hailing the move a victory for “medical freedom.”
On September 4, Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. was questioned before the U.S. Senate about vaccines and health. During the hearing, he and other officials repeated several false and misleading claims about vaccines, including that children receive “too many” vaccines and that no one knows how many Americans died from COVID-19. Several clips and quotes trended online, particularly the claim that “anyone can get” a 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccine, despite the FDA only approving the vaccines for those over 65 and younger people with underlying health conditions. Experts online stressed that federal vaccine guidance would force younger people with no underlying conditions to get a prescription and pay out of pocket for the vaccine. After the hearing, some public figures and social media users called for Kennedy’s resignation, while others defended him for “exposing the truth.”
A September social media post urging people to get the flu shot received overwhelmingly positive feedback, including nearly 6,000 comments. The post was shared more than 30,000 times in under 48 hours. The text of the post, which stresses that the flu vaccine is not just for the person getting it, is credited to a nurse. Responses to the posts asserted that they planned to get the vaccine for themselves and their loved ones, that they would get vaccinated for the vulnerable people in their lives, and that they would rather be safe than sorry. Many people shared stories about their experience with the flu and emphasized the importance of getting vaccinated every year.
Read the fact checks:
- CNN: Florida’s surgeon general said he didn’t calculate the costs of ending vaccine mandates in the state. But scientists have.
- Politifact: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said ‘everybody can get’ the COVID-19 vaccine. Is that true?
- KFF Health News: It’s Almost Flu Season. Should You Still Get a Shot, and Will Insurance Cover It?
Recommendations brought to you by the health communication experts behind Infodemiology.com.
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.
Florida’s plan to end all vaccine requirements, including school immunizations, reflects a broader trend of mainstreaming previously fringe anti-vaccine positions. Messaging may highlight the decades of evidence showing that routine childhood vaccines are safe and save lives. Health communicators may emphasize that vaccines empower parents to protect their children and reduce the risk of outbreaks. Talking points may stress the importance of herd immunity to protect the most vulnerable from vaccine-preventable diseases.
The FDA's recent restriction of COVID-19 vaccine eligibility has led to confusion and concern about who can and should get the 2025-2026 vaccine. Messaging may emphasize that although federal guidance only covers people 65 and older and younger people with underlying conditions, people outside of these groups may still be able to get the vaccine with their doctor’s approval. Messaging may also explain that physicians’ groups and public health experts still recommend the vaccine for everyone aged 6 months and older and that many states are working to ensure the vaccines are available for those who want it. Health communicators may encourage people to consult with their health care provider about getting the vaccine.
Conversations about flu vaccines are an opportunity to explain how vaccination protects individuals and communities. Messaging may emphasize that getting a flu vaccine protects against infection, severe illness, and death. Additionally, the vaccine helps protect people who are too vulnerable to fight the flu on their own, such as older adults, infants, and people with weakened immune systems. Health communicators may explain that the flu vaccine is recommended for people ages 6 months and older.
Interested in recommendations tailored to health care providers? Click here.