This week, we’re covering false claims about routine vaccines for kids
that circulated after local organizations and news outlets highlighted National Infant Immunization Week. We’ll also discuss conversations promoting myths about vaccines and autism.
Plus, spring is here! Now’s a good time to remind adults 65 and older to get a COVID-19 vaccine. The CDC recommends that older adults get a second 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine six months after their first dose.
But first, let’s look at some recent state legal actions driving false claims about mRNA technology.
Topic 1
State bill and lawsuit generate false claims about mRNA vaccines
What’s happening:
A new bill in the Minnesota House of Representatives attacked the safety of mRNA vaccines. Meanwhile, a former professor at Lake Superior College is suing the school and Governor Tim Walz for their pandemic-era vaccination requirements, claiming they violated his rights.
Some Minnesotans online criticized people who doubt science and vaccines, disagreed with the ex-professor’s lawsuit, said mRNA COVID-19 vaccines saved lives, and worried the bill would spread false information.
Others, however, supported both the bill and the lawsuit, falsely claimed COVID-19 vaccines caused deaths, said all vaccines should be investigated, and called for a ban on all mRNA technology. Many also called COVID-19 vaccines experimental and dangerous.
Why this matters:
Responses to the bill and lawsuit show that many people in Minnesota don’t trust mRNA vaccines. This could further damage people’s trust in health care systems and make it harder to build back that trust in the future.
Helpful messaging to share right now:
mRNA-based vaccines have been researched for decades.
All vaccines go through many phases of testing using tens of thousands of volunteers and require federal approval to make sure they’re safe before they’re released to the public.
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Suggested caption:
The research behind mRNA vaccines has existed for decades!
All vaccines go through many phases of testing using tens of thousands of volunteers and require federal approval to make sure they’re safe before they’re released to the public.
Routine childhood vaccines come under attack online
What’s happening:
In late April, state health groups and local news outlets highlighted National Infant Immunization Week and called for parents to vaccinate their children. They also shared details about Minnesota’s second confirmed measles case this year and declining vaccination rates in the state.
In response, some social media users said they didn’t trust routine vaccines for kids or health systems in general and encouraged others not to trust news outlets. Others falsely claimed that vaccines are linked to autism, that kids receive too many vaccines, and that vaccines are unsafe and ineffective.
Why this matters:
Conversations promoting distrust of vaccines could lead to more parents saying no to childhood vaccines. Missing routine vaccines leaves kids in danger of getting serious diseases like measles or whooping cough and puts everyone in Minnesota at risk of a future outbreak.
Helpful messaging to share right now:
Routine vaccines help kids stay safe from diseases.
Vaccines are the best way to protect kids from diseases like measles and help stop the spread of disease.
Missing out on routine vaccines can put your child at risk of getting seriously sick or even dying.
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Suggested caption:
Routine childhood vaccines help protect kids from serious diseases like measles, whooping cough, polio, and many others.
Talk to your child’s pediatrician or health care provider to get them up to date on vaccines.
Conversations in Somali and English circulated online after a Minnesota-based Somali podcast host shared a post falsely linking autism to vaccines and urging people to doubt vaccines and health care systems. Plus, discussions responded to comments from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in mid-April falsely calling autism an “epidemic."
In response to the podcaster’s post, commenters encouraged others to question vaccines and falsely claimed that vaccines are dangerous and have negative health effects.
Some social media users falsely blamed vaccine ingredients for the increase in autism diagnoses. Others blamed the number of vaccines children receive before turning 18.
Why this matters:
Myths about vaccines and autism are persistent and continue to be actively discussed online. These false claims may make parents in Minnesota afraid to vaccinate their kids and increase fear and stigma about an autism diagnosis.
Helpful messaging to share right now:
Decades of research prove there’s no connection between vaccines and autism.
Many factors may contribute to autism, including genetics, environmental factors, older age of the parents when a baby is born, and more.
The rise of autism diagnoses stems from more awareness and better recognition of the signs from doctors, parents, and teachers.
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Suggested caption:
Many factors help explain the rise in autism diagnoses. The definition of autism has expanded, and we’re better at recognizing it. Older parents, premature birth, and genetics and environmental factors also play a role.
Thanks to better awareness, we can support people with autism and reduce the stigma around a diagnosis.
CBOs share their tools and tactics for better vaccine outcomes
Public Good News (PGN) talked to nonprofits in Minnesota and other states about their efforts to increase vaccination. Read this article to learn more about successful strategies.
Public Good News is a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to community health. We partner with trusted local voices throughout the U.S. to distribute accurate, accessible, and inclusive health news in English and Spanish.
