Alerts
The alerts on these pages are based on the monitoring of publicly available data. While some alerts reference false claims, others are included to indicate gaps in knowledge, concerns, speculation, and other trending narratives. Inclusion in reporting is based on reach and velocity of spread and on whether conversations may impact health behaviors and decisions.
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New “Cicada” COVID-19 variant concerns experts and the public
Medium Impact
A new COVID-19 variant, BA.3.2, is circulating in the U.S. and sparking conversation online. The variant, which was first detected…
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Landmark tech lawsuits prompt debate about teen mental health and social media
High Impact
On March 25, a California jury ruled against YouTube and Meta in a landmark case alleging that the companies knowingly…
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Lyme disease vaccine fuels online conspiracy theories
Medium Impact
A new vaccine against Lyme disease was found to be over 70 percent effective in a clinical trial and may…
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Post resurfaces myth that the CDC hid link between autism and hepatitis B vaccine
Medium Impact
A March 22 social media post with over four million views revived the disproven claim that the CDC concealed a…
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Viral posts falsely claim myocarditis only occurs after COVID-19 vaccination
Low Impact
A recent Oxford study has resurfaced the false claim that myocarditis and pericarditis in children and adolescents only occur after…
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Judge blocks federal vaccine decisions, drawing ire from vaccine opponents
High Impact
On March 16, a district court temporarily blocked recent federal vaccine policy changes, including all decisions made by the current…
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Public sounds alarm about cychlorphine, a potent opioid linked to overdose deaths
Medium Impact
Multiple states have issued warnings about a synthetic opioid called cychlorphine that has been linked to at least 16 overdose…
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CDC polio travel warning triggers online conversation about routine vaccines
Medium Impact
On March 9, the CDC issued a warning about travel to 32 countries where poliovirus has been detected in the…
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Meta CEO’s testimony sparks debate about teen mental health and social media
Medium Impact
On February 18, the CEO of Meta, which owns Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and Threads, testified in a landmark trial. The…
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Surgeon General nominee reignites myths about vaccines
High Impact
During a February 25 Senate confirmation hearing, surgeon general nominee Casey Means was questioned about her past misleading and inaccurate…
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States sue over CDC’s overhauled vaccine schedule, fueling online debate
Medium Impact
On February 24, 15 states sued the Trump Administration over recent changes to the CDC’s childhood immunization schedule and the…
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Debate erupts over a child hospitalized with a severe measles complication
Medium Impact
The story of an unvaccinated South Carolina boy hospitalized with measles encephalitis (brain inflammation) since late January has drawn international…
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EPA revokes landmark climate change finding, triggering criticism and a lawsuit
High Impact
On February 12, the Environmental Protection Agency revoked its 2009 scientific finding that greenhouse gases—released from burning fossil fuels—endanger human…
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State bills targeting school vaccine requirements draw national attention
Medium Impact
Following changes to the CDC’s childhood vaccine schedule, some groups opposing vaccines are advocating to end vaccination requirements nationwide. These…
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Maryland mumps cases spark conversation about vaccine hesitancy
Low Impact
According to reporting from the Baltimore Banner, Maryland health officials sent a letter to health care professionals about a recent…
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AAP childhood vaccine schedule drives debate about safety and necessity
Medium Impact
On January 26, the American Academy of Pediatrics released an updated childhood vaccine schedule. The guidance is largely unchanged from…