Docs debunk vaccine myths, discuss misinformation challenges

JACKSON, Tenn. — Experts with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health discussed the challenges that disinformation and misinformation have on the fight against COVID-19.

The school’s research estimates that in Summer 2021, dis- and misinformation caused 2-12 million people to be unvaccinated, leading to 15-90 COVID deaths a day.

Doctors aimed to debunk common myths surrounding COVID vaccines during the media briefing, which include false claims that the vaccines are ineffective.

Doctor Daniel A. Salmon also discussed how coincidences can fuel false beliefs about the vaccine.

“Once we use a vaccine in very large populations, we know that by coincidence there will be things that happen after vaccination that people might think were caused by the vaccine,” said Daniel A. Salmon, PhD, MPH, Director of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Vaccine Safety. “If we vaccinate everybody today, every bad thing that happens tomorrow will have happened a day after the vaccine, from car accidents to cardiovascular, you name it.”

While misinformation is not a new problem, experts say it’s been made worse by things like social media and a polarized society.

Click here for more information on vaccines from the Johns Hopkins Institute for Vaccine Safety, including personal testimonies.

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