Misinformation Alerts
Knowing what misinformation is being shared can help you generate effective messaging.
These insights are based on a combination of automated media monitoring and manual review by public health data analysts. Media data are publicly available data from many sources, such as social media, broadcast television, newspapers and magazines, news websites, online video, blogs, and more. Analysts from the Public Good Projects triangulate this data along with other data from fact checking organizations and investigative sources to provide an accurate, but not exhaustive, list of currently circulating misinformation.
Misinformation Alerts
Knowing what misinformation is being shared can help you generate effective messaging.
These insights are based on a combination of automated media monitoring and manual review by public health data analysts. Media data are publicly available data from many sources, such as social media, broadcast television, newspapers and magazines, news websites, online video, blogs, and more. Analysts from the Public Good Projects triangulate this data along with other data from fact checking organizations and investigative sources to provide an accurate, but not exhaustive, list of currently circulating misinformation.
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.
In a social media post, a pair of comedians promoted the misinformation that COVID-19 vaccines are experimental drugs that don’t meet the definition of a vaccine. The post, which received nearly 12,000 engagements, claims that the definition of a vaccine was changed to include COVID-19 vaccines, which they describe as a money grab.
Recommendation: 
A social media post with over 36,000 engagements falsely claims that Pfizer documents state that breastfeeding after vaccination is not advised. The post does not cite a source but it appears to be referencing a 2020 document from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, which stated that at the time of the document’s release there was not sufficient evidence to determine if breastfeeding was safe after vaccination. The document has since been updated to reflect the current data, which shows that breastfeeding after vaccination is safe for mother and infant.
Recommendation: 
Several conservative news sites and commentators are promoting the false claim that the global outbreak of severe hepatitis in children is linked to COVID-19 vaccines. One article making this claim has been shared hundreds of thousands of times on social media. Health authorities have dismissed the connection because most of the children who have contracted hepatitis are unvaccinated. The U.S. outbreak is believed to be caused by adenovirus, a common virus that was detected in all the affected children.
Recommendation:
Several trending social media posts, including one from a U.S. congressperson, falsely claim that Pfizer documents show that 1,223 people died in the first few months of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. The posts have been shared over 60,000 times.
Recommendation:
An article on a conspiracy news site falsely claims that a CDC report shows that COVID-19 vaccines cause a 13,200 percent increase in autoimmune myocarditis. The study in question never mentions autoimmune myocarditis, which is an extremely rare form of myocarditis, which is itself a rare condition. The study did find a slight increase in myocarditis in male adolescents and young adults, but the overall risk of heart complications in the age group is much higher after COVID-19 infection than vaccination.
Recommendation:
A website known for publishing fabricated stories as real news posted an article that falsely claims that the U.S. military raided and destroyed a Moderna vaccine warehouse in Kansas City, Missouri. According to a Pentagon spokesperson, the story is completely false. Still, the fake story has been shared on social media.
Recommendation: 
A social media post claims without evidence that nurses are seeing a rise in blood clots, miscarriages, and Bell's palsy in vaccinated people. The post has received nearly 50,000 engagements. Anecdotes about health care workers seeing a “surge” in vaccine injuries have been circulating for over a year with no data to support the claims. Multiple studies have shown that vaccination does not increase miscarriage risk. While Bell’s palsy and blood clots are rare potential side effects of vaccination, the risk of both conditions is significantly higher in people with COVID-19 infections.
Recommendation:
In an interview, a physician who promotes misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines claims he has seen a rise in pregnancy complications in vaccinated women. The anecdote is unsupported by data. Several studies have shown that there is no link between COVID-19 vaccines and pregnancy complications.
Recommendation:
A social media post with nearly 1,000 engagements, including 350 comments, falsely claims that a keto (low-carbohydrate, high-fat) diet can remove spike proteins that the COVID-19 vaccine prompts cells to produce. This claim seems to be based on a misconception that proteins are simply nutrients, rather than vital molecules that carry out important biological functions. The human body has tens of thousands of naturally occurring proteins that support every bodily function. No diet removes these proteins or the spike protein from the body.
Recommendation:
A social media post has resurfaced the false claim that the American Red Cross does not accept blood donations from people who are vaccinated. The American Red Cross website clearly states that people vaccinated against COVID-19 are welcome to donate blood, platelets, and plasma.
Recommendation:
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.