Several popular anti-vaccine accounts are promoting the story of a young girl who died after allegedly receiving multiple vaccines. These accounts previously shared similar stories of children who were later revealed to have died from other causes, including bacterial meningitis. A physician known for promoting anti-vaccine conspiracy theories used the story to repeat the myth that childhood vaccines are linked to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. In one post, he uses VAERS data to support the claim, although some commenters noted that the data is of little use if it isn’t compared to SIDS rates in unvaccinated children. Social media users argued that vaccines should only be administered one at a time and that children receive too many vaccines.
Recommendation
The death of any child is tragic. Responding with empathy and acknowledging parents’ concerns about child vaccination is recommended, as is explaining how vaccination helps protect children and their families. Messaging may highlight how vaccine opponents exploit the deaths of children to promote their anti-vaccine messages. Talking points may emphasize that all vaccines go through rigorous safety testing and that no safety concerns are associated with receiving multiple vaccines. Additionally, debunking messaging may explain that there is no link between SIDS and any vaccine. The condition’s exact cause is unknown, but numerous studies have shown that SIDS occurs at the same rate in vaccinated and unvaccinated children and has not increased with higher vaccination rates.
Fact-checking sources: CHOP, Tufts Medicine
