Alerts are categorized as high, medium, and low risk.
  • High risk alerts: Narratives with widespread circulation across communities, high engagement, exponential velocity, and a high potential to impact health decisions. Are often more memorable than accurate information.
  • Medium risk alerts: Narratives that are circulating in priority populations and pose some threat to health. Potential for further spread due to the tactics used or because of predicted velocity. Often highlights the questions and concerns of people.
  • Low risk alerts: Narratives that are limited in reach, don’t impact your community, or lack the qualities necessary for future spread. May indicate information gaps, confusion, or concerns.

Several vaccine opponents published a review article that questions mRNA COVID-19 vaccine safety. The paper calls to ban the vaccines and promotes the baseless claim that COVID-19 vaccines killed 14 times as many people as they have saved.

Recommendation: High Risk Read More +

A popular video circulating online repeats the false claim that vaccine manufacturers suppressed hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin to ensure the authorization of COVID-19 vaccines.

Recommendation: Low Risk Read More +

During a right-wing political commentator’s interview with a writer who opposes COVID-19 vaccines, there was speculation about the safety of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. The writer suggested that mRNA vaccines weaken the immune system and promoted the conspiracy theory that China may release a bioweapon targeting those who received mRNA vaccines.

Recommendation: Low Risk Read More +

Several trending posts circulate false claims about HPV vaccine safety and effectiveness. The posts falsely claim that HPV vaccines don’t prevent cervical cancer and that the vaccines cause autoimmune diseases, miscarriages, birth defects, and deaths in young adults.

Recommendation: Medium Risk Read More +

A former cardiologist who was stripped of his board certification for promoting vaccine disinformation has co-authored two recent papers claiming that COVID-19 vaccines contribute to a large number of myocarditis deaths. One of the papers that was published and withdrawn in 2021 relies entirely on VAERS data and highlights cases of individuals who died 358 and 600 days after vaccination. The second paper, which involved a review of documents from autopsies that the researchers did not perform, was removed from a medical journal’s preprint database because its conclusions were unsupported.

Recommendation: Medium Risk Read More +

The addition of RSV and COVID-19 vaccines to the CDC’s recommended immunization schedule is being criticized by some online. RSV vaccines are recommended for older adults and pregnant people, and COVID-19 vaccines are recommended for everyone 6 months and older. An anti-vaccine website published an article calling for COVID-19 vaccines to be removed from all immunization schedules.

Recommendation: Medium Risk Read More +

A video clip of a medical advisor comparing SARS-CoV-2 and long COVID to HIV and AIDS led some to claim that long COVID is actually a vaccine injury called vaccine AIDS, or “VAIDS.” A former cardiologist resurfaced the debunked myth that COVID-19 vaccines cause positive HIV tests and that the alleged positive tests are a sign that the vaccine has weakened the immune system.

Recommendation: Medium Risk Read More +

A popular right-wing commentator voiced opposition to all childhood vaccines, calling for a class action lawsuit against pediatricians who don’t accept unvaccinated children at their practices. The commentator also promoted the false claim that doctors receive “bribes” for encouraging their patients to get vaccinated.

Recommendation: Medium Risk Read More +

A video of a teenager who died in 2013 allegedly after receiving a flu shot is recirculating among anti-vaccine accounts. The teen’s mother believes that the vaccine caused her son’s death, although no autopsy was performed.

Recommendation: Medium Risk Read More +

Several viral social media posts mock the recent death of a sports reporter who criticized a top-ranked tennis player’s anti-vaccine stance. Many posts insinuate that COVID-19 vaccines are responsible for the reporter’s sudden death.

Recommendation: Medium Risk Read More +

Alerts are categorized as high, medium, and low risk.
  • High risk alerts: Narratives with widespread circulation across communities, high engagement, exponential velocity, and a high potential to impact health decisions. Are often more memorable than accurate information.
  • Medium risk alerts: Narratives that are circulating in priority populations and pose some threat to health. Potential for further spread due to the tactics used or because of predicted velocity. Often highlights the questions and concerns of people.
  • Low risk alerts: Narratives that are limited in reach, don’t impact your community, or lack the qualities necessary for future spread. May indicate information gaps, confusion, or concerns.
Vaccine Misinformation Guide

Get practical tips for addressing misinformation in this new guide. Click image to download.

Vaccine Misinformation Guide

Get practical tips for addressing misinformation in this new guide. Click image to download, or see highlights