Misleading claims spread after a Texas child dies of measles

This week, data supporting pediatric COVID-19 vaccine efficacy caused mixed reactions, and a canceled FDA meeting sparked fears about flu vaccine access. Anti-vaccine bills and ongoing measles outbreaks dominated regional conversations.

This week, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. caused confusion and fueled false claims when he recommended vitamin A and good nutrition, in addition to vaccination, to prevent measles. The recommendation led some to believe that federal health agencies may change their stance on vaccines. Adding to that concern, a second federal vaccine advisory meeting was canceled following the postponement of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices meeting. Meanwhile, new research further proved that COVID-19 vaccines are effective and safe for children and adolescents. 

Regional posts discussed anti-vaccine legislation in multiple states and a measles case in Seattle.

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What’s trending nationally in vaccine conversation:

The measles outbreak in Texas and neighboring New Mexico is fueling myths and conspiracy theories about the disease and the MMR vaccine. As of March 4, one death, 159 infections, and 22 hospitalizations have been reported in Texas, including five cases in vaccinated individuals. Since January, the U.S. has reported nearly two-thirds of all the measles cases recorded last year. Additionally, the child’s death in Texas is the first U.S. measles death in a decade and only the third since 2003. After initially downplaying the outbreak as “not unusual,” Kennedy has since issued a “call to action” in an op-ed that encouraged vaccination as a “personal choice” and claimed that good nutrition is the “best defense” against infectious diseases. Kennedy promoted vitamin A supplementation to treat measles, leading some to falsely suggest that vitamin A can prevent measles infections. Some vaccine opponents—including a prominent anti-vaccine organization that Kennedy founded and formerly chaired—have speculated without evidence that the Texas outbreak was caused by a vaccine-derived measles virus, a claim that Texas health officials have conclusively disproved. Many social media users minimized the severity of measles as “just a rash,” accused the media of “fearmongering,” and encouraged so-called “measles parties” to intentionally expose unvaccinated children to measles. 

On February 27, the FDA’s vaccine advisory committee meeting to select the viral strains for next season’s flu vaccine was canceled with no explanation or indication that the meeting would be rescheduled. The VRBPAC meeting, which was originally scheduled for March 13, is held every March to make recommendations for vaccine manufacturers to develop the vaccines in time for the flu season in the fall. Committee members, public health experts, and social media users expressed concern that the meeting’s cancellation may delay flu vaccine development and impact vaccine access. Some posts expressed fear that the FDA will not back a flu vaccine this season. Several anti-vaccine accounts celebrated the news and used it as an opportunity to promote false claims about flu vaccine safety, including the myth that vaccination makes people more susceptible to the flu. News of the meeting’s cancellation comes amid reports of a rare, severe flu complication known as influenza-associated encephalitis (IAE), which causes brain inflammation. According to a February 27 CDC report, 13 percent of children who died from the flu this season had the condition. The report received considerable news coverage due to flu activity in the U.S. being at its highest level in 15 years. However, vaccine opponents dismissed the news as “fearmongering,” promoted unproven “natural” vaccine alternatives, and alleged that COVID-19 vaccines cause IAE.

A February 19 article in a British tabloid fueled speculation that the Trump administration plans to ban mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. The article highlights the anti-vaccine beliefs of key members of the administration’s health team but does not provide evidence of any actual policy or plans to ban the vaccines. Several high-profile anti-vaccine figures circulated the article and claimed without evidence that the vaccines are linked to excess death. Social media users also discussed a failed Montana bill and a proposed Kentucky bill attempting to ban mRNA vaccines. Several commenters claimed that mRNA vaccines are “destructive and lethal.”

A February 24 JAMA Network Open study found a 57 percent to 73 percent reduction in long COVID risk among children and adolescents who received mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. A second JAMA study found that sudden cardiac arrest among young athletes did not increase during the first three years of the pandemic. Although most of the online discussion about the research was positive and emphasized the importance of vaccinating children, some posts were more negative. Several social media users alleged, contrary to evidence, that mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are not safe for children and expressed distrust of COVID-19 vaccines. One post linked distrust in COVID-19 vaccines to more general anti-vaccine sentiments and the ongoing measles outbreak that has primarily affected unvaccinated children.

Read the fact checks: 

• AFP: Vaccine misinformation rife amid US measles outbreak
• Johns Hopkins: The Science of Vaccine Safety in the U.S. 
• CDC: 6 Things to Know about COVID-19 Vaccination for Children

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What’s happening in the Northeast:

On March 6, the New Hampshire Senate will vote on a bill to dissolve a state organization that buys low-cost vaccines in bulk to ensure universal vaccine access for children. Supporters of the legislation argue that it won’t impact vaccine access because providers can purchase their own inventory. Critics expressed concern that the bill will make free and low-cost vaccines less available, which may impact vaccination rates. Many commenters called to protect the program, while others alleged that all vaccines are “poison” and claimed children receive too many vaccines. Several posts pointed to the ongoing measles outbreak in Texas as evidence of the dangers of reducing vaccine access and uptake.

What’s happening in the South:

Several state bills related to vaccine policies and public health mandates advanced in Southern state legislatures. A proposed bill in Alabama would ban county health departments from promoting vaccines, arguing they should remain “neutral” on medical decisions. Critics of the bill call it government overreach and accuse lawmakers of pandering to anti-vaccine advocates. A Georgia bill would prohibit discrimination against organ transplant candidates based on COVID-19 vaccination status. Supporters argue vaccination should never have been required to receive transplants, while critics expressed concern that it could deter potential organ donors and reduce transplant survival rates, as transplant recipients are at high risk of severe COVID-19 infections. The West Virginia House is set to vote on a bill to allow religious and personal belief exemptions for school entry. The bill has gained support from people who claim it prioritizes personal choice.

What’s happening in the Midwest:

An Iowa bill seeking to ban the use of so-called “gene-based vaccines” has been amended to focus on vaccine manufacturers following public backlash. The bill would have imposed a $500 fine per violation on doctors and nurses who administered mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. Critics of the bill argued that it was based on pseudoscience and called it a “malicious attack on…bodily autonomy.” The amended legislation would block the use of vaccines unless manufacturers waive all legal immunity.

What’s happening in the West:

On February 27, Seattle health officials issued a health alert after an infant in King County was diagnosed with measles following an international trip. Only 72 percent of children in the state have received their second MMR dose. Some online commenters attempted to downplay how severe and contagious measles is, while others advocated for immunity from infection rather than from vaccination. Several posts speculated that the case is a plot to remove religious vaccine exemptions, that measles isn’t caused by a virus, and that the case was caused by the MMR vaccine. Many social media users expressed frustration at the anti-vaccine movement and highlighted the risk of a measles infection.

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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.

Measles can cause severe health problems and even death. Vitamins and good nutrition are not a substitute for vaccination. 

• Measles is a serious disease that has the unique ability to cause long-term damage to a child’s immune system. Allowing your child to catch measles to gain “natural immunity” puts them at unnecessary risk of serious complications and death.
• Vaccination is the only way to prevent measles. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are 97 percent effective against measles infection. While good hygiene, healthy diet, and other lifestyle choices may improve overall health, they are not a substitute for vaccination. 
• Vaccines do not cause measles outbreaks. Texas health officials have tested all measles virus samples and confirmed this to be true. 
• Vitamin A does not prevent measles infections. The vitamin is used in developing countries to reduce measles severity in children with existing vitamin A deficiencies, which affect less than one percent of the U.S. population.

Routine vaccination is safe and protects us all by reducing the spread and severity of diseases like measles, the flu, RSV, and pneumonia.

• Staying up to date on routine vaccinations is the best way to avoid preventable infections like measles, the flu, and RSV. 
• Every vaccine recommended by the CDC has undergone multiple rounds of testing and years of monitoring to ensure its safety.
• The CDC and FDA work to ensure vaccines are safe, effective, and accessible. 

COVID-19 vaccination reduces long COVID risk in children and teens.

• Some people incorrectly believe that COVID-19 vaccines aren’t important for children and teens. Although younger people are less likely to become seriously ill or die from an infection, they are still at risk of serious complications, including long COVID.
• Over the past four years, research has consistently shown that COVID-19 vaccination reduces long COVID risk.
• We know that vaccines don’t cause long COVID because reports of long COVID predate all COVID-19 vaccines by nearly a year, and unvaccinated people are at higher risk of developing the condition after infection.

Interested in recommendations tailored to public health professionals? Click here.