How is the Effectiveness of the COVID vaccine framed by mainstream media outlets?
In the wake of a pandemic, vaccines emerged. There were several questions about the effectiveness or otherwise of these vaccines. Three years on, these questions sort of linger. How did we use our media outlets to tell or answer the question of effectiveness?
Victoria Antwi, School of Information Sciences, University of Illinois
12/15/202310 min read
This work was originally written on October 29th, 2023 as part of my Media Literacy Class and supervised by Professor Rachel M.Magee
Introduction
According to the Center for Disease Control & Prevention (2023), “COVID-19 is a disease caused by a virus named SARS-COV-2. It can be very contagious and spreads quickly.” It is an infectious disease that affects people indiscriminately. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the disease a pandemic on March 11, 2020[i]. As a global threat, finding a solution was highly interesting for global leaders. Earlier than usual, vaccines were introduced. While there are several vaccines, the Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) recommends using Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Novavax vaccines in the United States[ii]. These “recommendations are based on age, time since the last dose, and in some cases, the first vaccine received. People who are moderately or severally immunocompromised have specific recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines[iii]. On the global stage. WHO advised that “the vaccines are safe”[iv] and that people should “take whatever vaccine…made available”[v]. This presupposes that people can protect themselves from the disease by getting vaccinated.
On a personal level, I appreciate the efforts of all stakeholders involved in combatting the pandemic and advocating for the protection of human lives. My appreciation cannot, however, be a substitute for or an answer to the many questions about the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines. At the top of CDC’s prevention of COVID list is a reminder to “stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines”[vi] emphasizing the need to ensure protection through vaccination. WHO also emphasizes the need to get vaccinated when a vaccine is available[vii]. In July 2021, WHO in its article, “Vaccine Efficacy, Effectiveness, and Protection”[viii] stated that “COVID-19 vaccines have proven to be safe, effective, and life-saving”. The question remains – how effective?
The media is one environment we cannot discuss matters of COVID-19 without paying attention to. There have been several works (academic and non-academic research) carried out about the media and the spread of COVID-19-related information. Check out some of these works here[ix], here,[x] and[xi]. The WHO has dedicated a section[xii] on its website to provide information for the public and media. Regardless of the device, mobile application, form, or portal, almost everyone has access to media. I am certain you are reading or listening to this work from a certain media.
In an attempt to contribute to answering the question of effectiveness, this reflection looks at how the effectiveness of the vaccine has been framed/presented in the media. I will make use of a collection of content from five media outlets – YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter (X), and TikTok.
Relevant Media Outlets
YouTube is an online video-sharing media platform with a mission “to give everyone a voice and show them the world”[xiii]. The media works by allowing users to find whatever they are looking for within its community of creators, viewers, and listeners. “Every day millions of people come to YouTube to be informed, inspired, or just have fun”[xiv]. The developers of the media make the media safer by applying what they describe as the “four Rs”[xv] – (i) remove content that violates their policies; (ii) reduce the spread of harmful misinformation and borderline material; (iii) raise authoritative sources for news and information; and (iv) reward trusted creators. Click here to check out my YouTube channel.
Instagram is a photo and video-sharing media platform that “gives people the power to build community and bring the world closer together”[xvi]. It is one of Meta Company's platforms. The developers see it as their “responsibility to foster a safe and supportive community for everyone”[xvii] through their anti-bullying and safety policies, as well as parent’s guide for teen users. Join my Instagram my Instagram community here
Facebook is a social media platform and social network service that is part of the Company meta platforms[xviii]. The media shares in the Company’s goal of giving people the power to build community and bring the world closer together[xix]. According to the media’s profile, 100 billion+ messages are shared daily to help people stay close even when they are far apart, and one (1) billion+ stories are shared daily to help people express themselves and connect. Check out my Facebook connections.
Twitter (X) is a “social media platform and microblogging service that distributes short messages. It was influential in shaping politics and culture in the early 21st century. A user types a message and sends it to X’s server, which relays it to a list of other users (known as followers) who have signed up to receive the sender’s messages…Perhaps, the most noteworthy in the evolution of Twitter was its increased use as a tool for journalists. Twitter was transformed into an up-to-the-second news source” (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2023)[xx]. New York Post in July 2023 reported that the media has over 541 million monthly users.
TikTok is the world’s leading destination for short-form mobile videos. Its mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. The media has a section dedicated to supporting its community through COVID-19. It runs several programs that meet users’ needs. Their programs include TikTok for Good – which uses the media to make a positive impact including raising awareness; TikTok for Developers helps creators navigate and make use of powerful tools in the media to bring out their content; and Effect House allows users/creators to add a trendy touch to their stories/content. The other programs are TikTok Rewards, Advertise on TikTok, TikTok Browse, and TikTok Embeds. I have a community on TikTok – check it out.
Content Collection
Here are fourteen snippets of content collected from YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and X. Though each content is unique, the collection wholly points to and tells stories about the COVID-19 vaccine and its effectiveness.
A user shares the story of “the greatest medical scam in the history of the world!”. Using a collection of news headlines describing the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine in percentages. Starting from 100%, the percentage reduced to 41%.
A user describes “crimes against humanity” with screenshots of headlines that indicate the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine in percentages. From 100%, it comes down to as low as 20%. The user states that “we were all lied to” about the effectiveness of the vaccine.
The content tells a story of an effective vaccine. Supporting with numbers, impacts, and timeline, “Gavi, the vaccine alliance” shares with over 23 thousand subscribers how some vaccines reduce risks of COVID infection by 80%.
A health professional speaks specifically to vaccines that require two doses – indicating that taking both doses is effective as just a dose will give a 6-month maximum protection. Emphasis was made on getting vaccine boosters for longer protection.
The content shares the effectiveness of the vaccine for children. Pointing to data from CDC, the user talks about the safety of the vaccine for children to be “not too bad”. A reduction in the effectiveness of the vaccine in children is linked to a higher percentage of unvaccinated children.
Here, a veteran officer shares that he chose to be vaccinated because the vaccine is safe and effective.
A user shares a story of the vaccine causing the death of some children, indicating that the vaccine is not safe for kids.
Content is shared about how frequently college students who took the vaccine visit the hospital every week instead of being in school. An image is used to illustrate the “sick state” of vaccinated college students.
A former medical officer shares a story of how the vaccine damaged someone’s blood vessels, causing the person to be blessed severely after being vaccinated.
10.YouTube Post
A news channel discusses peer-reviewed research that suggests that getting more shots of the vaccines affects its efficiency as vaccinated persons get sicker than unvaccinated persons.
11. Facebook Post
Here, a story is presented of a man who “died” twice after being vaccinated, and now seeking compensation after surviving.
12.YouTube Post
The content shares the usual vaccine-making process and tells how the COVID-19 vaccine was made faster – defying the usual processes. The user points out reasons, one of which is an urgent need.
13.TikTok Post
Creators illustrate the number of shots needed to “stop” COVID.
CDC attempts to debunk the myth about the vaccine’s negative effect on the menstrual cycle. One user seems not to accept/agree, indicating that no proper study was conducted to arrive at this “address”.
Analysis
After collecting the content, I noticed the similarities of some content about its theme, patterns, and direction of thought. So, to meaningfully analyze the collection, I have categorized them into three (3) suggestive areas.
i. Effectiveness of the vaccine - (Content 1 – 6)
This first set of content follows a pattern that presents the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine. From different angles, diverse people use varied media to share their concerns. While some see the vaccine as a “scam”, others deem it a responsibility of protection. The distinct views result from experiences, available information, and individual thoughts. So, on one hand, the content presents the vaccine’s effectiveness as unstable – one that fluctuates in a blink. On the other hand, the vaccine is effective, and human decisions matter in making the vaccine highly effective or otherwise, for instance, the decision to take all the required doses.
ii. Ineffectiveness of the vaccine due to side effects or aftermath (Content 7 – 11)
This set of content takes a pattern that presents the vaccine as ineffective because of the harm it has caused to individuals who get vaccinated. Ranging from physical damage to emotional stress and cases of death, the vaccine is presented as unsafe and ineffective. Presumably, the vaccine would have been effective if no one died after being vaccinated, students returned to school feeling strong, and people did not have to regularly fall sick after being vaccinated. This raises the question whether it is safe to say that prescribed drugs are ineffective because patients experienced a side effect of nausea after taking the drugs? Or the COVID-19 vaccines like many other medications and vaccines are meant to have side effects – mild or severe? While it is usually the case that there are side effects of many medications and vaccines, concerns emerge when the side effects are severe like in the case of those presented in this set of content. One may ask, should the vaccine protect me effectively or cause me to die?
iii. Ineffectiveness of the vaccine due to myth (12 - 14)
In this set, the content follows a pattern presenting the vaccine as ineffective because of the myth that surrounds it. While the content seeks to address some of the myths[xxi], users will not accept it merely and in one instance, is requesting a “proper” study to ascertain they are true and not myths. The content speaks to three myths, (i) that the vaccine is ineffective because it was made faster or took an unusual process; (ii) that the vaccine won’t work regardless of the number of shots/dosses taken; and (iii) that the vaccine is ineffective because it affects menstrual cycle of people who go near vaccinated people. By implication, the vaccine would have been effective if it took longer to make or went through the usual processes if taking a specific number of shots guaranteed safety/protection, and if the vaccine never affected anyone’s menstrual cycle by a “proper” study. An unavoidable question is whether these are really myths, or are they being tagged as myths to present the vaccine as effective? What if someone’s menstrual cycle was affected – or never was??
The Process - How did I get here?
In my search, I looked for content from certified organizations, private groups, professionals, and individuals. In making my collection, I used the following phrases and questions – “COVID-19”, “COVID-19 Vaccine”, “COVID-19 vaccine and the media” “What about COVID vaccine”, “Is COVID-19 vaccine effective”, “COVID-19 vaccine and children”, “COVID vaccine and news”, thoughts about COVID-19 vaccine, “Social media and COVID-19 vaccine”, and “is COVID a myth”. These were influenced by the series of stories I have heard people say about COVID-19 and the vaccines. Also, I was interested in gathering as diverse a collection as possible. I was not looking out for “wrong” or “inaccurate” content because so long as the content remains in the media, people will access, consume, rely on, and share it with others. While some of the content may be inaccurate in my view, I was strict on gathering all views present in the media and not what I thought, assumed, or believed.
I selected these media outlets because of their wide coverage and frequent usage. YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, X, and TikTok are popular media where information is easily and quickly shared. They are useful for this work as users can connect their accounts/profiles on these media and share information with just a click. In the case of Facebook and Instagram, users can post content on Facebook, and it will automatically be posted on Instagram without users creating the post again on Facebook.
Findings and Conclusion
Analyzing the collection made up of 14 snippets of content from five (5) mainstream media outlets, I find the question of the effectiveness of the COVID vaccine not wholly answered, that notwithstanding, it is safe to say that the media has presented the issue in a way that allows individual to make informed decisions about the COVID vaccine.
Without concluding whether or not the vaccine is effective, the media presents all the necessary information about the vaccine – discussing conducted research, addressing myths, talking about possible side effects, and illustrating with numbers.
It is important to point out that some media outlets have taken steps to restrict or stop the sharing of unverified/inaccurate content related to the COVID-19 vaccine and its effectiveness. Some of these restrictions can be found here[xxii], here[xxiii], and here[xxiv]. While this may to some extent, suppress criticism of the vaccine or, the sharing of individual experiences, I find the steps to be in line with ensuring a safe media environment where accurate information is shared, especially given that this is an issue of threat to human health and life.
In conclusion, the issue of COVID-19 vaccines’ effectiveness are matters of global concern, and the media through varied outlets present all angles of the issue to help make informed decisions.
USEFUL NOTES (References)
[i]WHO declares COVID as a pandemic on website
[ii] CDC recommended vaccines as of October 2023 – retrieved from their website
[iii] CDC bases of recommendation on their website as of October 2023
[iv] Getting vaccinated: WHO specific vaccine advice
[v] retrieved from WHO website, advice on vaccines
[vi] Stay up to date with covid-19 vaccines – CDC advise on COVID protection
[vii] WHO’s advice on COVID prevention on their website
[viii] Article on vaccine efficacy, effectiveness, and protection; retrieved from WHO’s website
[ix] Social media & COVID-19: A global study of digital crisis interaction among Gen Z and Millennials by WHO; retrieved from Google Scholar
[x] Role of Mass Media and Public Health Communications in the COVID-19 Pandemic; article retrieved from Google Scholar
[xi] News media coverage of COVID-19 public health and policy information; article retrieved from nature.com
[xii] news for the public and the media on WHO’s website located on the right side of the page
[xiii] YouTube mission from their About page
[xiv] Data from YouTube on how it works
[xv] YouTube’s Four Rs policy on their website
[xvi] Instagram mission from their About page
[xvii] About Instagram Community
[xviii] Encyclopedia Britannica about Facebook
[xix] Facebook’s mission from their About page
[xx] Encyclopedia Britannica about Twitter
[xxi] Some myths about Covid vaccine from children wellness
[xxii] Twitter to remove misleading information on COVID-19 vaccines