Influence of social media on the public perspectives of the safety of COVID-19 vaccines

KEYWORDS:

• Social media
• COVID-19 vaccine
• adverse effects
• vaccine hesitancy
• side effects

The current pandemic posed by the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that emerged in late December 2019 continues to cause a global health crisis being close to two years since its appearance. Vaccination has proven to be the most therapeutically effective option in reducing the spread of the infection, particularly in curbing the mortality imposed by the virus [1]. However, introducing a novel vaccine amongst the general public is no easy task. In the opinion of the authors, the public has to make an informed decision accepting COVID-19 vaccine. However, unfortunately, the decisions and choices of the public are highly influenced by misinformation that has been circulating on social media. Throughout the pandemic, misinformation regarding COVID-19 and its vaccines existed, particularly on social media, which is flooded with false information regarding vaccine safety [2]. Social media is a weapon that could be a boon or a curse depending on its utilization. Although social media is believed to serve as one of the most efficient tools to educate the mass, it is often misused to spread inaccurate, inconsistent and incomplete information, particularly during the current pandemic [3].

The resistance of people to receive authorized and safe vaccines are termed as vaccine hesitancy, and this is an issue that was widely prevalent even before the COVID-19 pandemic [4]. Vaccine hesitancy is not a new concept; however, the drastic increase in vaccine misinformation on social media has made it a new imperative [5]. Social media could be a fundamental tool in either advocating for or against vaccination. Ever since the vaccination rollouts for COVID-19 has started, the public has been actively sharing their views and opinions on social media. Social media also been a major driving factor in the rise of misinformation that is eventually leading to vaccine hesitancy. Despite these unprecedented times, anti-vaccine groups are very active on social media, promoting false information regarding the adverse effects or post-effects of COVID-19 vaccines [6]. For instance, some popular falsehood adverse effects that are being discussed on social media are that COVID-19 vaccines have not been fully studied, and they can cause DNA mutation and birth defects [7]. Some other rumors include that a few participants in the vaccine trial have lost their lives and that the entire pandemic is a conspiracy and a bioweapon [8].

To increase the proportion of people who volunteer for vaccinations, particularly against COVID-19, researchers need to gather information on the reasons that drive the willingness or unwillingness. This could be done by estimating the predictors of negative attitudes toward vaccination and identify those groups who exhibit unwillingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Also, research should focus on specific vaccination promotion strategies for the anti-vaccine groups based on the factors that explain the probability of individuals refusing COVID-19 vaccination. Some state that personal protection against COVID-19 and the resultant fear of contracting the infection itself was the cause of their unwillingness to volunteer for vaccination [9]. There exists another group who are thoroughly convinced that they do not require to be vaccinated as they are already immune to the infection. Recently, the COVID-19 vaccines have been falsely claimed to cause infertility among women of reproductive age and miscarriages in pregnant women [10]. Lack of education and awareness among the general public is another possible reason that is worsening vaccine hesitancy [11].

However, the COVID-19 vaccines can also cause a few adverse effects, most of which have been graded to be of mild to moderate severity and would last no longer than a few days [12]. Tenderness, tiredness, pain at the site of injection, and generalized discomfort were the most commonly reported adverse effects following the COVID-19 vaccination [13]. Most of the aforementioned reactions improve over a very short course of time, and no serious events requiring hospitalization were documented. However, few individuals reported reactions such as emesis, itching (urticarial), a spontaneous increase in one’s blood pressure, headache, pyrexia and muscle aches, vomiting and diarrhea post-vaccination [14]. Generally, vaccines are safe; however, at times, there are certain genuine safety concerns linked to vaccinations. For instance, data from the UK reported 49 deaths due to COVID-19 vaccine-induced immune thrombocytopenia and thrombosis [15]. However, these deaths arise from 24 million doses, which still support the evidence to get people vaccinated based upon risk-benefit equation. Severe anaphylactic reactions and thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) after COVID-19 vaccination have been added to the rare list of adverse reactions following vaccination.

Misinformation about safety of COVID-19 vaccines strongly claims ground in the minds of people as it builds itself on the foundation of preexisting fears, fuels doubt and a distrustful attitude over novel vaccines, which restricts people from being vaccinated [16]. Since the general public has begun to place a lot of confidence in social media, there is a substantial correlation between the extent of inaccurate information through online modes and the failure of vaccination campaigns to inoculate the maximum number of people [6]. Anti-Vaccination groups highlight the concern of vaccine safety and draw public attention to the resultant injuries. These groups spread misinformation concerning the poor efficiency of the vaccine and accuse pharmaceutical companies of expediting the process of vaccine approval. The strongest path that is used by these groups is social media, where the engagement of the general public with social media has seen a sharp increase over the past decade. Social media, as mentioned before, could be detrimental or serve constructively depending on how it is used [17]. According to a recent study by Wilson SL et al., online disinformation campaigns are associated with a significant reduction in both mean vaccination coverage over time and negative discussion of vaccines on social media [6].

Social media is a platform which serves as one of the potential resources in capturing the public’s opinion, especially related to COVID-19 and vaccine hesitancy, which will typically not be reported in the published studies [18]. Although most of the social media platforms have launched certain policies to control the misinformation circulating by the anti-vaccination groups, these policies are expected to make little impact in managing the exponential growth of vaccine-related misinformation [19]. Since social media users tend to receive content suggestions based upon their watch histories, it is difficult to pass on correct and legitimate information to public. This could certainly be called as a part of ‘echo-chamber effect’ of social media, where harmonious group of people amalgamate and develop tunnel vision. Also, in social media, information is often presented by non-experts with limited fact-checking abilities making misinformation to proliferate on social media platforms. It is unfortunate that the public is trusting misinformation of adverse effects related to COVID-19 vaccines, which might be because of the power of digital and social media [18]. There is an immense need and urgency in stopping such patterns. Thus, one of the essential drivers in vaccine uptake is the provision of trustworthy information by health care providers and thereby promoting facts related to COVID-19 vaccines.

It is paramount that health care professionals take time out to discuss the information-seeking behavior among their patients and should direct patients to high-quality, patient-friendly information sources, and encourage patients to discuss the information to ensure patients are well informed and not misinformed [20]. The approach taken by healthcare professionals pertaining to the use of social media for COVID-19 vaccine advocacy was that many physicians and nurses posted their experience with the COVID-19 vaccination on social media [21]. They shared their personal experience with vaccine hesitancy, and they also mentioned that there were minimal to no adverse effects after vaccination. They continued to make posts encouraging the general public to be a part of the large-scale vaccination drive. The information posted by health care professionals on social media had a significant impact on the public’s choice of the vaccine [22].

In the recent report released by the Center for Countering Digital Hate, it has been recommended that healthcare professionals and public health officials should try to speak directly to the public who posts or follow such misinformation [23]. Similarly, communication science experts recommend that healthcare professionals need to speak to the vaccine-hesitant groups and address their concerns. The COVID-19 vaccine communication handbook by the World Health Organization and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) suggest certain recommendation on how healthcare professionals should talk to the people about their COVID-19 vaccination [24]. Furthermore, COVID-19 vaccine safety communication surveillance manual by the WHO suggests that social media should be used to communicate real-time updates about COVID-19 vaccine safety to the public [25]. Besides, being transparent and accurate in accepting the facts related to the vaccines would increase vaccine uptake [26]. In addition, government authorities could work with social media platforms and unravel the real causes of vaccine hesitancy in order to raise awareness and maximize vaccination rates. Pharmacists positioned within the community could monitor the vaccination experiences from the public perspective and identify challenges faced through conducting focus-group interviews or during out-patient counseling visits. The government, along with the policymakers, have to invest in understanding the beliefs and perceptions of the public and how these changes at different stages of the pandemic by conducting timely surveys. Therefore, it is crucial for any country’s government to implement campaigns that assist the general public in addressing their concerns and fears they possess in taking the COVID-19 vaccines.

Social media could potentially act as a double-edged sword, especially in the COVID-19 era. Although social media is believed to serve as one of the most efficient tools to educate the mass, it is often misused to spread inaccurate, inconsistent and incomplete information, particularly during the current pandemic. It is important to help the public understand the significance of taking the vaccine. Public should be educated by addressing their fears and concerns about the adverse effects of COVID-19 vaccines. There is an immediate need to combat the misinformation regarding vaccines circulating on social media in reversing vaccine hesitancy.S

Author contributions

All the authors have substantially contributed to the conception and design of the article, interpreting the relevant literature, and been involved in writing the article or revised it for intellectual content.

Declaration of interests

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

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