COVID-19 Pandemic and Vaccine Resource Library

Communications specialists Stephan Lewandowsky and John Cook — both of whom have spent years studying conspiracist thinking particularly in regard to climate change denialism — have put together the very useful Conspiracy Theory Handbook. This document, available in four languages, delves into the hallmarks of conspiracy theories and the scientific research into why people might be susceptible to them. Download it here:

Reuters is collecting daily COVID-19 infections and deaths data for 240 countries and territories around the world, updated regularly throughout each day.

In West Africa, vaccine hesitancy is a particularly worrisome issue. In an AfroBarometer survey of five West African countries from March 2021, 60 per cent of respondents said they were unlikely to try to get vaccinated [9]. Mis- and disinformation make up only one component of vaccine hesitancy [10]. Yet the dominant narratives potentially contributing to vaccine hesitancy in West Africa — and the ways they are being amplified on social media — remain unexplored.

With that in mind, First Draft’s research team monitored and mapped vaccine disinformation and narratives in the region. This report is based on that monitoring and additional investigative research.

“Misinformation threatens the success of vaccination programs across the world. Unicef, First Draft, Yale Institute for Global Health, and PGP (The Public Good Projects) have partnered to create the Vaccine Misinformation Management Field Guide. This guide aims to help organizations to address the global infodemic through the development of strategic and well-coordinated national action plans to rapidly counter vaccine misinformation and build demand for vaccination that are informed by social listening.
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The Vaccine Confidence Message Brief explores what motivates high-priority audiences to get the Covid-19 vaccine. The Rockefeller Foundation conducted both a national message testing study and focus groups among people expressing concerns about getting the vaccine—including healthcare workers and K-12 teachers. The brief includes high-level audience insights and message recommendations, aimed at motivating audiences to take action. Additionally, it offers tailored communications to reach communities of color.

Our Vaccine Education Guiding Principles outline community engagement recommendations to support practitioners and advocates through vaccination education efforts. Improving COVID-19 vaccine confidence requires action by diverse stakeholders across the world — from the community level to the global level — to advance vaccine equity and ensure that access to vaccines actually leads to vaccination. We actively prioritize the role of vaccine education in COVID-19 response policy and advocacy.

Doctors, nurses, researchers and community health care workers provide facts and dispel misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccines, in English and Spanish, in this FAQ video series from KFF with the Black Coalition Against COVID and UnidosUS.

Anti-vaxxers met in private in late October 2020 to discuss their plans to disrupt the Covid vaccine. They didn’t realise CCDH was there too. The Anti-Vaxx Playbook is our new report exposing their tactics, messages and use of social media. Our report explains how health experts, the public, tech giants and legislators can counter these harmful plans.