Misinformation is the greatest threat to Covid-19 vaccination efforts --U.S. Surgeon General

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Fri, 2021-06-25 10:13 — mike kraft

Surgeon General warns misinformation is the greatest threat to Covid-19 vaccination efforts With a dangerous Covid-19 variant on the rise, health experts are urging people who are still hesitant to get their vaccinations. But the US Surgeon General warns a big obstacle stands in their way: Misinformation. Madeline Holcombe, CNN CNN

(CNN) With a dangerous Covid-19 variant on the rise, health experts are urging people who are still hesitant to get their vaccinations. But the US Surgeon General warns a big obstacle stands in their way: Misinformation.

"There is so much misinformation out there about the vaccine, coming through so many channels -- a lot of it being spread on social media," Dr. Vivek Murthy told CNN's Erin Burnett. "It's inducing a lot of fear among people."

Two-thirds of those who are unvaccinated in polls say that they either believe the myths about Covid-19 or think that they might be true," he added.

Experts, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, have estimated that 70 to 85% of people in the US will need to become immune to the virus through vaccination or infection in order to control community spread. But after initial surges, vaccination rates have slowed, and only 53.7% of the population has received at least one dose.

In addition, more than 1 in 10 people who have received one dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccine have missed their second dose, according to data shared with CNN by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

That statistic is especially concerning to experts because studies have shown that the vaccines are much more effective against the Delta variant after the two-dose series is completed.

And the Delta variant is believed to be more transmissible and cause more severe disease than other strains.

Murthy said he is worried for those who are unvaccinated as the variant spreads.

In Los Angeles County, the impact is already clear. Nearly all of the Covid-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in Los Angeles County are occurring among people who are unvaccinated, county health officials said Thursday. ...

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