Quantifying the rise of vaccine opposition on Twitter during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is a serious threat to global health and there is currently an unprecedented research effort to deliver an effective COVID-19 vaccine. Yet an increasingly vocal movement has the potential to erode support in vaccination. This study examined shifts in vaccine opposition on Twitter. Methods: A search query collected publicly available Twitter posts related to vaccine opposition and posts were categorized into themes. Coders compared conversation during the four months before COVID-19 spread in the United States (10/15/2019 to 2/14/2020) to four subsequent months (2/15/2020 to 6/14/2020) of community spread. Results: Across time periods, vaccine opposition on Twitter increased by 80%. Twelve conversation themes were identified and tracked across time periods, with increases observed in percentage of conversation about COVID-19, federal health authorities, vaccine ingredients, and research/ clinical trials. Conclusions: This study quantified the increase in vaccine opposition on Twitter and suggests that vaccine opponents are fomenting opposition toward a COVID-19 vaccine and encouraging mistrust in health authorities. Vaccine beliefs are a spectrum, with support and opposition existing as a range. Exposure to these increased amounts of vaccine opposition may encourage those who are vaccine hesitant or have questions about vaccines to move toward opposition, which could have drastic health impacts at a population level for decades to come. To ensure the widest support for a COVID-19 vaccine, it is important to identify and address the messages used by vaccine opponents.