Analysis
On July 1, Pakistan confirmed a polio case in North Waziristan, bringing the total to 14 this year. As health officials urged parents to ensure that all children receive polio drops, a trending video and social media post declared that “the polio vaccine is a curse.” The post received dozens of responses claiming that polio vaccines are “not right” and “dangerous.” In the comments, parents boasted about refusing polio vaccines and other vaccines for their children. Other commenters promoted homeopathic (unproven and alternative) medicine over allopathic (conventional and evidence-based) medicine.
Recommendations
Posts promoting fake alternatives to polio vaccines often spread online. Health communicators may explain that homeopathic medicine and other “alternative” remedies are not effective against polio and that vaccination is the only way to protect children against the disease. Messaging may emphasize that vaccines have been studied and proven to be safe by experts for decades. Billions of children and multiple generations of families worldwide have received vaccines, which have saved millions of lives.