Flu spike prompts debate about vaccine hesitancy

Online calls for states to ban mRNA technology intensified this week as a measles outbreak hits West Texas. Regional conversations focused on school vaccine mandates and flu outbreaks.

This week, online vaccine conversations highlighted a pattern of vaccine opponents’ attempts to discredit vaccines as vaccine-preventable illnesses are surging. Reports that this flu season has the highest level of flu activity since the 2009 pandemic fueled debates about vaccine effectiveness and hesitancy. Similar conversations circulated about a measles outbreak spreading through a rural West Texas county with one of the highest school vaccine exemption rates in the state. Meanwhile, several viral posts advocated for banning mRNA technology and claimed that at least half a dozen states are considering anti-mRNA vaccine legislation.

Regionally, social media users debated the importance of flu vaccine prevention measures and school vaccine requirements. 

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What’s trending nationally in vaccine conversation:

On February 7, the CDC reported that flu infections are surging nationwide this season, with over 24 million cases, 310,000 hospitalizations, and 13,000 deaths as of February 1. CDC data suggests that flu activity is at its highest level since the 2009 swine flu pandemic. Ten pediatric deaths were reported in the last week of January, bringing the total this season to 57. The spike in cases received widespread media coverage and attention on social media. Many posts encouraged vaccination and other preventative measures and discussed the impact of vaccine hesitancy. Anti-vaccine accounts blamed flu vaccines for the rise in infections, with some claiming they are ineffective and others repeating the myth that the flu vaccine causes the flu. Several commenters accused the media of “fearmongering,” arguing that this flu season is no worse than others.

A rural county in West Texas has confirmed 24 measles cases as of February 11, all in unvaccinated individuals. Nine cases are in children and nine people have been hospitalized. The outbreak has sparked online conversations around the country as cases continue to rise in a county where nearly one in five kindergarteners received exemptions for the MMR vaccine last school year. Many social media users expressed frustration at “reckless” parents who refuse to vaccinate and at vaccine exemption policies, while others warned that other vaccine-preventable outbreaks will follow as anti-vaccine rhetoric becomes more mainstream. Some commenters attempted to downplay the outbreak by arguing that measles isn’t serious and that there aren’t enough infections to call it an outbreak.

 A popular anti-vaccine social media account called for states to ban mRNA technology, claiming that legislation is “being drafted” in Idaho, Iowa, Montana, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. The post received nearly 60,000 engagements, including over 1,700 responses. Other posts claim that Washington and Florida are also “considering legislation” to ban the vaccines. Commenters repeated many myths about mRNA vaccine safety, including false claims that they can integrate into DNA and cause harm by “shedding.” Some argued that the federal government should ban mRNA vaccines and called for all COVID-19 vaccines—mRNA-based or otherwise—to be banned.

Read the fact checks: 

• Public Good News: Don’t let these myths stop you from getting your flu shot 
• AAP: How to Protect Your Children During a Measles Outbreak
• Cleveland Clinic: mRNA Vaccines: What They Are & How They Work 

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What’s happening in the Northeast:

New York’s governor announced on February 7 that the state is temporarily shutting down all live bird markets in Westchester, Nassau, and Suffolk counties and New York City through February 14. The announcement follows the detection of bird flu cases in poultry markets in New York City. The governor noted that the measure is “proactive” and that there is currently no public health threat to humans. The state’s health commissioner encouraged residents to get their flu shots to avoid getting the flu and bird flu at the same time. Social media responses to the news were mixed, with several commenters accusing the government of overreacting and warning that lockdowns are next. Other posts supported the government’s quick action.

What’s happening in the South:

On February 7, Kentucky health officials confirmed that an unvaccinated child was the state’s first pediatric flu death of the season. Flu activity in the state is increasing in the state where less than 17 percent of children are vaccinated this season. Some social media users argued that vaccination could have saved the child’s life and criticized parents who don’t vaccinate their children. Several posts questioned the effectiveness of the flu vaccine, claiming that it doesn’t provide good protection against the flu. 

What’s happening in the Midwest:

The Iowa Senate advanced bills that would require minors to get parental consent to receive vaccines that protect against sexually transmitted infections, including the HPV vaccine. The proposed bills sparked debate online about parental rights and public health concerns, with some social media users claiming to be “appalled” that parental consent is not currently required for teens to receive HPV vaccines. Others advocated for parental consent for all vaccinations. Critics of the bills say they may create more work for school districts and put children in unsafe home environments at risk.  

What’s happening in the West:

On February 7, Hawaii’s Health, Human Services, & Homelessness Committee passed a bill to remove non-medical exemptions for school and work vaccination requirements. The bill’s supporters argue that rising exemptions and declining vaccination rates increase the risk of vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks in the state. However, opponents of the bill claim that it violates an individual’s constitutional right to religious freedom. One social media post about the bill received nearly 700 responses and encouraged followers to thank lawmakers who voted against the bill.

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Talking points for health care providers to use in response to trending narratives

Each week, the Infodemiology.com team will provide talking points and supporting messages in response to some of the trending narratives outlined above. Health care providers can use this messaging when discussing vaccines online, talking to patients, or engaging with communities.

Vaccination is the best protection against the flu, which hospitalizes and kills thousands of people each year. 

• The flu is a serious disease that has hospitalized over 310,000 people and killed over 13,000 people, including dozens of children this season. So far, this flu season is the worst since the 2009 swine flu pandemic. 
• Flu infection can cause serious complications like pneumonia and heart inflammation and can even increase heart attack risk. Infants, young children, and older and pregnant adults are particularly vulnerable to severe illness and complications from the flu.
• Flu vaccines are very safe and serious side effects are exceedingly rare. There are three types of flu vaccines approved by the FDA in the U.S.: one that has been used since 1945, and two that have been approved for over a decade. 

Measles is not just a “normal” childhood illness. It is a potentially deadly disease that can cause long-term damage to the immune system. 

• Measles is an extremely contagious and potentially life-threatening disease. Infections can cause serious complications like ear infections, pneumonia, and brain swelling. The measles virus also has the unique ability to wipe out some of the antibodies that protect against other infections, making children more susceptible to infections in the future.
• Measles is completely preventable. Vaccination is 97 percent effective against measles infection.
• Unvaccinated children are at extremely high risk of contracting measles during an outbreak. 
• Vaccination protects vaccinated people as well as those who are too young or medically unable to be fully vaccinated. 

You can trust the years of research that has overwhelmingly found mRNA to be safe and effective. 

• mRNA vaccines are safe, effective, and based on decades of research. 
• Like all vaccines, mRNA vaccines undergo rigorous testing, including clinical trials, and are monitored for safety for as long as they are in use. 
• Over four years of research and the billions of people who have been safely vaccinated prove the safety of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. 

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