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Government officials report that nearly 38,000 parents in Karachi refused to vaccinate their children during a polio vaccination campaign in May, citing “misunderstandings and lack of awareness” as the main reasons for refusal. Some social media users applauded the parents, claiming that polio vaccines are a “scam” with harmful effects, while others questioned why children need multiple polio vaccine doses. Several commenters called polio drops “poison” and falsely claimed that they are only given to Pakistani children.

Health officials in Pakistan report that 47 wastewater samples tested positive for poliovirus, including samples from all four provinces, Islamabad, and the Kashmir region. Some commenters called polio a “fraud,” while others claimed the news is part of a larger agenda or conspiracy to promote polio vaccines.

In a recent speech, the governor of West Kalimantan, Indonesia, warned against believing false claims about immunizations, noting that “if left unchecked, hoaxes like this can slowly become poison.” The speech emphasized that polio vaccines protect against paralysis caused by the poliovirus, suggesting that false claims about vaccines have caused a decline in childhood vaccination rates. Most responses to the comments were positive, with many emphasizing the importance of immunizations, comparing vaccines to having an umbrella ready before it rains. However, some social media users claimed that vaccines are unnecessary because children are “free from disease” and accused the governor of trying to harm children. 

After months of shortages, Kenya’s Ministry of Health announced at a June 12 press conference that it prepared to distribute more than 6 million doses of BCG (tuberculosis) and oral polio vaccines. While many people celebrated the news, many were critical of what they viewed as the government turning a basic public health responsibility into a PR opportunity. Several social media users accused the government of creating a problem to solve publicly. A few posts speculated that the vaccines are unsafe or expired, while others expressed doubts about the origin and contents of the vaccines. 

The secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services sparked a global debate online when he announced on June 9 that he removed all 17 members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine advisory committee. The official claimed that childhood vaccines, including polio vaccines, have not been properly tested and insinuated that current polio vaccines are unsafe because they were grown in “monkey cells.” A self-described conspiracy theorist celebrated the secretary’s statement as the “truth” about childhood vaccines “finally coming out.” Another social media user called for “anti-vax” advisors to be added to the panel, which critics say the health secretary did on June 11.  Public health and vaccine experts criticize the panel’s removal as “reckless,” emphasizing that, until now, CDC vaccine advisory members were selected based on their expertise.

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.”

An Indonesian designer with over 180,000 social media followers recently posted a complaint about the vaccination requirements for performing the Islamic pilgrimage in Mecca. The Saudi government requires that all travelers from countries with poliovirus circulation, including Indonesia, provide proof of polio vaccination. The post falsely claims that COVID-19 vaccinations are also required to perform Umrah. Some posts call vaccines “fake” and “deadly,” while others suggest that vaccines only exist to make money. One commenter proposes going through Malaysia to bypass vaccination requirements. 

On June 3, Bill Gates was honored by the Nigerian government for his charitable work in the country, including his foundation’s efforts to eradicate polio. Although many responses to the news were positive, some commenters argued that vaccines funded by the Gates Foundation are dangerous. Several posts repeated the conspiracy theory that vaccines are part of a depopulation plot, while others claim that polio didn’t exist until vaccines were introduced.