Analysis
Frustrated Kenyan parents continue to discuss vaccine shortages online, as the Health Ministry confirmed that 12 counties have run out of BCG (tuberculosis), polio, and rotavirus vaccines. Yet, health officials also announced that over 3 million doses of polio and BCG vaccines will be distributed by mid-June. Although most responses are critical of the government and concerned about when vaccines will be available, some promote false claims about vaccines. Several posts claim that vaccines are “poisonous” and have “killed children,” while others spread conspiracy theories about Bill Gates and vaccines being “weaponized.”
Recommendations
Health communicators may respond to false claims about vaccine safety by explaining that vaccines are thoroughly safety tested for years before they are made available and administered to the public and that all vaccines are continuously monitored for safety as long as they remain on the market. Messaging may emphasize that vaccines empower parents to protect their children from deadly and debilitating diseases like polio.