How False Information Fuels Vaccine Hesitancy
Like most conversations in today’s politically acerbic atmosphere, the COVID-19 vaccination has turned into a divisive issue, with many people forgoing logic, reason, and science in favor of unsubstantiated speculation. How does a population that overwhelmingly supports the idea of other vaccinations become so pre-disposed towards the concept of COVID immunization? A significant reason is the massive false information that permeates today’s media. Incorrect information generally falls into two categories: misinformation, or inadvertently drawing conclusions based on wrong or incomplete facts, and disinformation, the deliberate spread of falsehoods to promote an agenda. This piece will explore some quantitative measures that indicate false information is a driving cause of vaccine hesitancy and how to combat it.
Before continuing, I want to indicate that there are valid concerns and reasons to be cautious about the vaccine. There may be medical reasons to consider other mitigation options outside of vaccines for some people with auto-immune deficiencies or severe allergies.
Correlation between false information and vaccine hesitancy: While there are some valid concerns, the foundation behind many people’s reluctance comes from incorrect information. There has been widely circulating false information about the pandemic on social media platforms, such as that 5G mobile networks are linked with the virus, that vaccine trial participants have died after taking a candidate COVID-19 vaccine, and the pandemic is a conspiracy or a bioweapon. Such information can build on pre-existing fears, seeding doubt and cynicism over new vaccines, and threatens to limit public acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines. Pan American Health Organization Director Carissa F. Etienne claims that “misinformation is one of the most serious threats to public health, and it is most damaging when it fuels vaccine hesitancy.” She argues that the vaccine has gone through all necessary procedures, and “its benefits of preventing infections, hospitalizations, and deaths far outweigh the risks of side effects.”
Numerous studies have explored the ramifications of false information and its impact on hesitancy, showing a clear correlation between the two. A BMJ study indicates that false information on social media often spurs an increase in vaccine hesitancy. The study found foreign disinformation to be highly influential, stating “a 1-point shift upwards in the 5-point disinformation scale is associated with a 2-percentage point drop in mean vaccination coverage year over year.” A Nature Human Behavior study illustrates that after receiving a misinformation treatment, there was a 6.2% decline in intent among those who stated that they would definitely accept a vaccine. Both these studies highlight the efficacy of false information and the importance of ensuring accurate information is disseminated and people are armed with facts.
How to combat false information: Given the strong correlation between false information and vaccine hesitancy, policies and measures that can better prepare and protect consumers while firmly addressing any bad players in the system are imperative. These are some steps to consider:
- Increased news literacy: Preparing consumers to be “better able to distinguish credible sources and stories from their counterparts” and be skeptical of what they read on social media
- Better tools to identify fake information: Technology and social media companies can build better algorithms and systems to identify and slow the spread of false information.
- Higher science literacy: A key reason behind misinformation is people confusing correlation with causation. Having a stronger understanding of scientific principles can help consumers parse through the different and controverted perspectives and arrive at a conclusion based on scientific evidence.
- Better foreign interference cyber policies: A key source of disinformation campaigns is foreign players trying to sow confusion. The government could take more active measures to create disincentives to foreign players from interfering.
