Polio Pulse

Polio Pulse provides social listening insights to support GPEI’s polio interventions on disinformation, crisis communication, and strategic communication. Data is monitored from polio-endemic and outbreak countries and geographies classified by GPEI, covering 12 major languages spoken in these regions. The platform is managed by the UNICEF Digital Community Engagement (DCE) team.

Medium Risk

Online responses to video of child who allegedly died after taking polio drops promote vaccine safety

Geography
Pakistan
Themes
Safety and side effects

Analysis

In a video with over 20,000 views, a man claims that his child died after taking polio drops. The man is holding an apparently deceased child in the video. Many responses to the video expressed condolences. However, others argued that the polio vaccine is safe and the death was not caused by the vaccine because none of the children who received doses from the same vial were harmed.

Recommendations

The video’s distressing content increases its risk. Health communicators should respond to parents’ concerns about the safety of polio vaccines with empathy and understanding. Messaging may emphasize that polio vaccines have been proven safe for decades and that vaccination protects children, their families, and their communities.