Last week’s Senate confirmation hearings for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sparked widespread social media coverage. Some posts highlighted the false and anti-science statements Kennedy made in the past and during the hearing, including promoting the conspiracy theory that COVID-19 “is targeted to attack” certain ethnic groups and that Ashkenazi Jewish and Chinese people are immune. Kennedy also claimed—without evidence—that Black children should be on a different vaccine schedule than other children and falsely suggested that there isn’t enough evidence showing that childhood vaccines don’t cause autism. Posts supporting Kennedy falsely claimed that MMR and hepatitis B vaccines are linked to a rise in autism in Black children and suggested that children receive too many vaccinations.
Recommendation
Myths and false claims about the safety of childhood vaccines and the recommended immunization schedule are widespread and may deter parents from vaccinating their children. Prebunking messaging may explain that all childhood vaccines have been thoroughly tested and monitored for safety, many for several decades. Talking points may emphasize the importance of immunizations to keep all children and their communities safe from debilitating and deadly diseases. In particular, distributing messaging on how we know there is no link between vaccines and autism is recommended.
Fact-checking sources: AAP, New York Times
