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.

Medium Risk

Video sparks conversation about vaccine hesitancy

Geography
Indonesia
Themes
Necessity
Safety and side effects

Analysis

Social media users in Indonesia are discussing a video about a mother refusing vaccines for her child. Some responses echoed the mother’s concerns about the safety of polio vaccines. A pediatrician responded to the video by calling on others to be compassionate and understanding of parents who are hesitant about vaccines. Although most commenters agreed with these strategies to encourage vaccination, others claimed, without evidence, that modern vaccines weaken children’s immune systems.

Recommendations

Communicators may help ease parents’ vaccine hesitancy by acknowledging and responding with empathy to their concerns. Messaging may explain how vaccines are tested for safety, why they are important to protect children and their families, and what side effects parents can expect after vaccination. Talking points may also emphasize that vaccines do not weaken the immune system. They strengthen its ability to fight deadly diseases like polio.