On December 10, the Food and Drug Administration announced an investigation into deaths allegedly related to COVID-19 vaccines “across multiple age groups.” The announcement came two weeks after the agency claimed—without providing evidence—that COVID-19 vaccines were linked to multiple child deaths. Many vaccine opponents celebrated the news, while others described it as “too little, too late.” Some social media users expressed skepticism about any information coming from the FDA. One post questioned whether the investigation’s results would be peer-reviewed and published in a reputable journal, unlike the claims about children’s deaths. Several posts discussed the benefits of COVID-19 vaccines and criticized the FDA for potentially undermining trust in the vaccines.
Recommendation
Unproven claims about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines may contribute to hesitancy and distrust in vaccine safety systems—particularly when attributed to a federal health agency. Health communicators are advised to use caution when addressing such claims to avoid amplifying them. Messaging should emphasize the established evidence on vaccine safety, while explaining that COVID-19 vaccines are grounded in decades of research and have been extensively tested and monitored.
Talking points may also note that over 70 percent of the world’s population, including millions of Americans, has received COVID-19 vaccines with no evidence of widespread serious health concerns. Continuing to direct the public to evidence-based sources for vaccine information is recommended.
Fact-checking sources: European Medicines Agency, CIDRAP
Communication resources: Find more talking points about COVID-19
