Debate over RSV vaccine safety in pregnant people, amid CDC recommendation

Online backlash emerged after the CDC recommended that pregnant people get the RSV vaccine. One popular article alleges that the RSV vaccine will result in the deaths of 4,000 newborns and claims that the vaccine is linked to a heightened risk of premature births and infant mortality, despite clinical trial data showing that the risk of adverse reactions is low.

Risk Level: High

Recommendation: The narrative above shows an ongoing mistrust in the safety of vaccines, and the popularity of these false claims may promote RSV vaccine hesitancy among pregnant patients. This could result in negative health outcomes, especially given the current rise in RSV cases among infants and children. Doctors may emphasize that RSV can lead to severe infections in infants and that getting the maternal RSV vaccine is a safe and effective way to protect infants from RSV-related hospitalization and death.