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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Posts Mislead About COVID-19 Vaccine Safety With Out-of-Context Clip of FDA Official

Posts Mislead About COVID-19 Vaccine Safety With Out-of-Context Clip of FDA Official

Given the extra scrutiny and large number of doses, reports of possible side effects to a vaccine safety monitoring system increased with the COVID-19 vaccines. The high number of reports does not mean the vaccines are unsafe, contrary to suggestions made by posts sharing a clip of a Food and Drug Administration official acknowledging the surge.

Posts Mislead About Measles, MMR Vaccine Amid Recent Outbreaks

Posts Mislead About Measles, MMR Vaccine Amid Recent Outbreaks

Measles is a highly contagious disease that can be serious and even fatal. Fortunately, it can safely be prevented by vaccination. But in the wake of outbreaks in the U.S. and elsewhere — likely in large part due to low vaccination coverage — social media posts have downplayed the risks of measles and falsely claimed the vaccine “is more dangerous than the actual illness.” 

Respiratory Illnesses in Children in China Not So ‘Mysterious’

Respiratory Illnesses in Children in China Not So ‘Mysterious’

Five Republican senators have penned a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to ban travel to the U.S. from China because of a surge in “mystery” respiratory illnesses among children. But the letter selectively cites outdated information from the World Health Organization, and experts say the illnesses are likely due to known viruses and bacteria and aren’t unexpected.