Kentucky representative promotes unfounded claims about COVID-19 vaccine deaths

On social media, a Kentucky representative promoted a report claiming that over 50 percent of U.S. adults believe that COVID-19 vaccines have caused deaths and that 25 percent of U.S. adults believe they know someone who has died from a COVID-19 vaccine. In response to the post, social media users echoed the report’s claims and shared their own stories of so-called “vaccine injuries” allegedly caused by COVID-19 vaccines.

Risk level: Medium

Recommendation: These types of posts may discourage patients in Kentucky from getting the updated COVID-19 vaccine, especially when these claims come from a government official. Doctors in Kentucky may face questions about COVID-19 vaccine safety. Messaging may emphasize that there is strong evidence to support that COVID-19 vaccines have not caused mass death. COVID-19 vaccines have been rigorously tested and have been determined to be safe. The benefits of vaccination outweigh any potential risks, because staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccines helps prevent severe illness, death, and long COVID.