A May 21 congressional hearing and report, led by a congressman who had previously promoted COVID-19 conspiracy theories, accuses federal health officials of misleading the public about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines. The report alleges that the officials downplayed the risks of COVID-19 vaccination, particularly myocarditis, and failed to warn the public. Several well-known anti-vaccine advocates testified during the hearing, claiming without evidence that COVID-19 vaccines caused an increase in cardiac deaths and miscarriages. This comes as news broke that the FDA asked Pfizer and Moderna in April to update the warning labels on their COVID-19 vaccines regarding potential cardiac risks. Social media users responded to the testimony, report, and updated warning label by promoting a host of false claims about mRNA vaccines and COVID-19 vaccine safety. Some users also resurfaced the myth that COVID-19 vaccines are killing or injuring thousands of athletes.
Recommendation
Misleading claims about COVID-19 vaccine safety from high-profile figures may cause vaccine hesitancy and distrust of public health guidance. Debunking messaging may explain that five years of safety testing and monitoring—and billions of vaccinated people—show that COVID-19 vaccines are safe. Additionally, health communicators may emphasize that vaccination is linked to a decreased risk of COVID-19-related heart complications.
Fact-checking sources: EMA
