Polio Pulse

Polio Pulse provides social listening insights to support GPEI’s polio interventions on disinformation, crisis communication, and strategic communication. Data is monitored from polio-endemic and outbreak countries and geographies classified by GPEI, covering 12 major languages spoken in these regions. The platform is managed by the UNICEF Digital Community Engagement (DCE) team.

High Risk

Parents fear the vaccine itself is causing polio outbreaks

Geography
Pakistan
Afghanistan
Nigeria
India
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Kenya
Themes
Causes of the disease
Safety and side effects

Analysis

In mid-August, parents and commentators in Pakistan and Afghanistan began posting that 'the OPV itself creates polio outbreaks.' Threads on X quickly gained traction with frightening anecdotes, while YouTube videos such as 'Children paralyzed by the vaccine itself' were reposted in large Facebook groups. Triggered by media coverage of cVDPV cases, the technical explanation — that mutation only occurs where vaccination coverage is low — was omitted, leaving space for alarmist interpretations. Within 48 hours, over 140 posts repeated the same claim, driving the narrative to an estimated reach of more than 60 million. The combination of parental voices, emotionally charged videos, and the echo of Facebook groups turned a nuanced epidemiological reality into a viral claim of vaccine failure.

Recommendations

Prioritize parents as authors: produce short, plain-language Q&A videos and carousel explainers. In Pakistan and Afghanistan, collaborate with religious and community leaders to emphasize that higher coverage is the solution. In Nigeria and Kenya, use radio and WhatsApp to spread corrective messages through trusted family channels. Messaging should acknowledge the kernel of truth (cVDPV exists) while reframing the conclusion: the vaccine is not the cause, but the fix.