Trending Narrative Alerts
June 26, 2025
Old myths circulate ahead of Democratic Republic of Congo’s polio vaccine campaign
The DRC launched a five-day polio vaccination campaign on June 26. Responses to the campaign repeated several common conspiracies and myths about polio and polio vaccines. Several posts promoted the false claim that polio is caused by the pesticide DDT, while others called polio vaccines “poison.”
Geography: WCAR: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Themes: Conspiracy theories, Necessity, Safety and side effects
Risk Assessment: Medium
June 25, 2025
Global social media users react to the U.S. cutting Gavi funding
On June 25, the U.S. health secretary announced that the country would end its funding of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, alleging that the organization had “ignored the science” regarding global immunization. He offered no evidence to support the claim. The news received international attention, with many social media users highlighting the official’s anti-vaccine background and lack of expertise and relevant experience related to vaccines and global health. Critics dismissed the accusation as “entirely false,” noting that, unlike the official’s claims, global immunization efforts are evidence-based and supported by decades of independent research. Some social media users argued that “children will die preventable deaths” as a result of the funding cuts, calling them “utterly evil.” But others defended the decision, alleging that vaccines are “harmful,” “toxic,” and “evil.”
Geography: EAPR: Indonesia; WCAR: Kenya, Ghana; ESAR: Madagascar; MENA: Egypt
Themes: Effectiveness, Safety and side effects
Risk Assessment: High
June 25, 2025
Post promotes a conspiracy theory about polio vaccine distribution in Ethiopia
Ethiopia reported four polio cases last week, bringing the country’s total for the year to 33. In response, a social media user accused polio workers of dumping polio vaccines in open fields and falsely reporting a successful vaccination campaign. Meanwhile, a conservative organization that has promoted anti-vaccine myths and the conspiracy theory that HIV does not cause AIDS, shared a news article about polio cases in Ethiopia and Benin. The post emphasized that the cases were vaccine-derived, with no additional context or explanation of how cVDPV spreads.
Geography: ESAR: Ethiopia; WCAR: Benin
Themes: Conspiracy theories, Effectiveness
Risk Assessment: Medium
Resources
Alert Categories
Alerts are categorized as high, medium, and low risk.
High risk
Narratives with widespread circulation across communities or countries, high engagement, exponential velocity, and a high potential to impact vaccination efforts.
Medium risk
Narratives circulating in priority countries that may impact vaccination decisions. Potential for further spread due to the tactics used or because of predicted velocity. May highlight legitimate questions and concerns, not just false claims.
Low risk
Narratives that are limited in reach, aren't impacting priority communities, or lack the qualities necessary for future spread. Helpful to know because these narratives may indicate information gaps, confusion, or concerns.
Polio Digital Messaging Guide: A Strategic Tool for Digital Engagement and SBC
A practical resource that bridges digital best practices with field-based health communication to equip teams with the knowledge and tools needed to protect children from polio and foster trust in vaccination programs.
Download
Top line Data
This charts below highlights data specific to polio outbreak countries over the past seven days, and is updated daily. Analysis includes data from the latest list of outbreak countries according to GPEI.
The charts below highlight data specific to polio endemic countries (Pakistan and Afghanistan) over the past seven days, and is updated daily.