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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Issues: vaccine safety

Florida’s COVID-19 Vaccination Analysis Is Flawed, Experts Say

Florida’s COVID-19 Vaccination Analysis Is Flawed, Experts Say
October 13, 2022

The state of Florida recently announced that it was no longer recommending that younger males receive mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, based on an unpublished analysis that purportedly found an increased risk of cardiac-related death following vaccination. But experts who specialize in the unique method used in the analysis say it was not properly done — and even if it had been, the findings would not mean that individuals should not get vaccinated.

Viral Posts Spin Falsehood Out of Denmark’s COVID-19 Booster Drive

Viral Posts Spin Falsehood Out of Denmark’s COVID-19 Booster Drive
September 16, 2022

Denmark announced a plan for its fall COVID-19 vaccination drive, saying it will offer omicron-specific booster shots to high-risk individuals, including everyone 50 and over. But U.S.-based misinformation peddlers misleadingly suggest that means the shots are unsafe for those under 50. The Danish Health Authority said that is a misinterpretation.

Posts Misinterpret Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Monitoring Document

Posts Misinterpret Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Monitoring Document
March 18, 2022

A Pfizer document recently released by the Food and Drug Administration describes adverse events reported following vaccination and attests to the continued safety of the company’s COVID-19 vaccine. A popular video and other online posts, however, incorrectly imply that the vaccine caused the events.

Post Misconstrues Public Health Awareness Campaigns About Blood Clots

Post Misconstrues Public Health Awareness Campaigns About Blood Clots
March 7, 2022

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Pfizer tweeted in February about the dangers of blood clots in veins, which are relatively common and affect as many as 900,000 Americans each year. A story shared on social media, however, misleadingly linked those public health reminders to the COVID-19 vaccines. 

Photo Shows 2018 France World Cup Celebration, Not Vaccine Protest

Photo Shows 2018 France World Cup Celebration, Not Vaccine Protest
July 19, 2021

Social media posts are misrepresenting an old photo from France by suggesting the sea of people in the streets shows “[p]eople are waking up against vaccine tyranny.” The photo actually shows a celebration in Paris after France won the 2018 World Cup.

CDC Data Thus Far Show COVID-19 Vaccination Safe During Pregnancy

CDC Data Thus Far Show COVID-19 Vaccination Safe During Pregnancy
July 15, 2021

Federal vaccine monitoring systems have identified no safety concerns with the COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant people. Preliminary Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show that miscarriage is not more frequent than expected in vaccinated people. Online posts, however, falsely contend that such data, as reported in a CDC publication, show an 82% miscarriage rate.

Flawed Paper on COVID-19 Vaccines, Deaths Spreads Widely Before Retraction

Flawed Paper on COVID-19 Vaccines, Deaths Spreads Widely Before Retraction
July 2, 2021

The COVID-19 vaccines have been shown in trials and real-world application to be safe and effective. But a paper shared widely online claimed that vaccines cause two deaths for every three lives saved. Experts say the analysis misinterpreted data and was flawed — and it has now been retracted by the journal that published it.