Unfortunately, we have seen a big increase in vaccine misinformation spreading online. With so much information at our fingertips, it can be really confusing and difficult to make informed decisions about our healthcare – and hard to know what’s true and what isn’t.  

We are here to help you separate the facts from the fiction and understand the truth about vaccinations.  

Let’s start with some facts: 

• Vaccinations prevent up to three million deaths worldwide every year and help many more people avoid a stay in hospital. 

• When more people get vaccinated, it helps protect vulnerable individuals for whom vaccination is not safe and/or effective by helping to stop diseases spreading. 

• Wider vaccination benefits include keeping children  in school by preventing illness, and freeing up NHS resources to support other patients. 

And now to bust some myths: 

Sources – Vaccine fertility impact: BMJ, 2021, mRNA and cellular DNA: Nature, 2021, Annual flu vaccinations: NHSE, UKHSA, MHRA recommendations. 

Vaccine Misinformation & Finding A Trusted Source 

You should always get information about health from trusted and reputable sources like the NHS website and from internationally recognised organisations and publications.  

How to spot potentially misleading social media posts

There are a few steps you can take to help spot potentially misleading posts on social media. First of all – stop and take a minute to reflect on what you are reading. Don’t just share straight away without digging a little deeper.

It can be tricky to see exactly who created the post but see if you can find out where it came from. It might be a friend or someone you follow, but do you know their background and views? For example, do they have any expertise in the subject area or are they from a reputable media outlet committed to independent journalism?

You are trying to find out if the post, story or information is in its original context – where did it come from? It might have been edited or taken out of context, which changes the meaning. A simple internet search can add more context.

‘Ask anything’ Vodcast

We have been working with our local community to understand the myths that are circulating and what concerns people might have about vaccinations. We invited local people to ‘ask anything’ to our healthcare professionals to get to the truth about vaccines. Watch our conversation:

Resources

Other useful resources, particularly around the views of Islam on vaccinations: can be found in our factsheets in English and Urdu.