False claims about COVID-19 vaccines and HIV resurface

Plus, data shows drop in vaccine coverage for kindergartners.

A popular anti-vaccine podcaster spread false narratives about COVID-19 and hepatitis B vaccines for children in a recent episode. Meanwhile, social media posts resurfaced false claims about the COVID-19 vaccines and HIV using a clip from a 2021 BBC documentary. Finally, the CDC released two sets of data: One on vaccine coverage for kindergartners from the 2023-2024 school year and a second on flu vaccine effectiveness in the Southern Hemisphere.

On a more local level, in the Northeast, anti-vaccine websites are misinterpreting a recently published study to falsely claim that COVID-19 vaccines caused an increase in sudden unexpected infant death (SUID), and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

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What’s trending nationally in vaccine conversation:

A popular podcaster known for spreading conspiracy theories and false narratives about vaccines hosted the founder of a digital health care platform in a recent podcast episode. They discussed issues with the U.S. health care system, including that pharmaceutical companies put profit over actual health care. They also accused pharmaceutical companies of “pushing” COVID-19 vaccines for profit and resurfaced several debunked myths about vaccines, including that the COVID-19 vaccine is not safe, that vaccines can cause autism, and that COVID-19 and hepatitis B vaccines are not necessary for children. They also falsely claimed that the only way to be exposed to hepatitis B is through drug injection or sexual activity.

Meanwhile, new data from the CDC shows that vaccination coverage among kindergartners decreased for all reported vaccines during the 2023-2024 school year, compared to the previous year. In the case of the MMR vaccine, coverage fell from 93.1 percent to 92.7 percent; and in the case of the DTaP vaccine, it dropped from 92.7 percent to 92.3 percent. These drops come as vaccine exemption rates reach an all-time high: The report found that non-medical exemptions increased in 40 states and in D.C.

Lastly, a clip from a 2021 BBC documentary about how vaccines were developed was used out of context to reignite false claims about COVID-19 vaccines and HIV. The clip explains how Australian researchers who were developing a COVID-19 vaccine used an HIV protein to hold the coronavirus spike protein. However, that vaccine never made it to market because of false HIV positive readings during clinical trials. Additionally, as the researchers have explained, the vaccine contained an HIV protein, not the virus, so there was no possibility it could have caused HIV. Online, popular posts from prominent anti-vaccine figures have shared the clip and misleadingly claimed that the BBC “admitted” that “HIV is used to make the COVID-19 vaccine.” False claims related to the development of that particular Australian COVID-19 vaccine have been circulating since last year.

Read the fact checks: 

• American Academy of Pediatrics: Hepatitis B Vaccine: What Parents Need to Know
• FactCheck.org: Posts Mislead About Measles, MMR Vaccine Amid Recent Outbreaks
• Reuters: Fact Check: Australian COVID vaccine with HIV protein misrepresented online

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What’s happening in the Northeast:

Several anti-vaccine websites are misinterpreting a recently published study to falsely claim that COVID-19 vaccines caused an increase in sudden unexpected infant death (SUID), and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Those sites, along with other anti-vaccine figures, posted about the study, falsely claiming that the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines were to blame for a surge in SIDS. However, the Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center study found that the risk of SUID and SIDS rose during the pandemic, particularly in 2021, due to altered infectious disease patterns, such as RSV resurgences. 

What’s happening in the South:

Posts on social media are misconstruing a recently published preprint study, falsely claiming that people vaccinated against COVID-19 are more likely to be infected with the virus over time compared to those who are unvaccinated. A foundation associated with a doctor known for spreading false claims about COVID-19 also shared the study on X. However, the preprint study analyzed COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness among health care workers in Georgia when the Omicron variant was circulating (January to June 2022). It showed that, while the first booster dose provided moderate protection against symptomatic infection initially, its effectiveness rapidly weakened as Omicron spread. Additionally, the study’s authors emphasized the need to prioritize vaccination, especially for health care workers, before peak COVID-19 periods.

What’s happening in the Midwest:

In response to a post from a Minnesota social media post telling parents about updated measles vaccine guidelines in the state amid an ongoing outbreak, some social media users made xenophobic comments, blaming the outbreak on undocumented immigrants, while another user falsely claimed measles isn’t dangerous and accused the original poster of fear mongering. 

What’s happening in the West:

Social media users reacted to a clip from a conservative media nonprofit in which a reporter asked people in Compton, California, if they got the COVID-19 vaccine, if they regret getting it, and if they trust the media. Some respondents said they got vaccinated due to fear of reinfection or job requirements, while those who didn’t get vaccinated cited unverified alternative remedies and distrust of being “guinea pigs.” The post on X included a survey asking people if they regret getting the vaccine: 41.3 percent said they regretted it, 49.5 percent said they never got it, and 9.1 percent said they didn’t regret it. In response to the video posted on X, some people made false claims about COVID-19 vaccine side effects and others called it unnecessary.

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Recommendations for Public Health Professionals

Each week, the Infodemiology.com team will provide messaging recommendations in response to some of the trending narratives outlined above. These helpful tips can be used when creating content, updating web pages and FAQs, and to inform strategy for messaging about vaccines.

The false claims about vaccination for children from the popular podcast host highlight the importance of providing parents with accurate and reliable information about routine vaccines for children. This is vital especially now given the data about the continued decrease in vaccination coverage among kindergartners released by the CDC. 

False claims can easily spread through social media and influence parents’ decision to vaccinate their children. Talking points may include the benefits of routine vaccines (including COVID-19 vaccines), their safety, and how they save children’s lives. 

For years, anti-vaccine advocates have spread the myth that COVID-19 vaccines cause HIV and that they weaken the immune system. However, this myth has repeatedly been debunked: The vaccines don’t cause HIV nor do they negatively affect immune cells or the immune system. Talking points may emphasize how COVID-19 vaccines instead strengthen the immune system’s ability to fight COVID-19, that no COVID-19 vaccine contains HIV, and that all available COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. have been proven safe. 

Interested in recommendations tailored to health care providers? Click here.