#ProVaccine
Introduction
The hashtag #ProVaccine has been in existence for quite some time but has gained more traction throughout 2020 and 2021 as it was repurposed for use in the fight to vaccinate everyone against Covid-19. As the pandemic ravaged the globe, scientists worked tirelessly to create a vaccine to combat this virus. Many people at the beginning of the pandemic were desperate for this vaccine because they wanted everything to go back to normal. Now that we have the vaccine, though, only 54% of Americans are vaccinated, after being desperate for the vaccine for so long. While that number is growing every day, the loud minority of those that oppose the vaccines have been spreading as much misinformation as possible and the silent majority’s patience is wearing thin. The provaccine hashtag has been spreading on primarily on TikTok and Twitter, and gaining support rapidly from those that are already vaccinated. When analyzing these posts it was easy to separate them into four main categories; professional stories and opinions, promotional work done by different organizations, and personal stories along with memes.
Professional Outlooks
Taking to the internet, those in the medical field that support the vaccine have attempted to educate those that oppose it. From doctors, nurses, and other disease experts, a flood of information has been spread to viewers of all ages through the TikTok and Twitter. Most of these medical professionals also have had plenty of hands-on experience working with COVID19 patients. Due to the massive waves of cases from the original virus as well as its new strains delta and mu, almost all healthcare workers have been forced into the frontlines of this pandemic in some way shape, or form. Many medical professionals across the globe have been fighting a losing battle against the misinformation that has caused their emergency rooms and intensive care units to fill and overflow. This is why professionals have taken to #ProVaccine as a way to combat the insensitive and rather ignorant remarks/beliefs about the pandemic’s devastating impact. Yvonne aka @Scottielassie0 on TikTok is a nurse practitioner who has chosen to respond to anti-vaxxers’ empty accusations that the government and medical personnel are using the “Nuremberg Code.” This code refers to “the treatment of humans in medical experiments,” put in place as a result of the Nazi regimen who conducted unlawful, torturous experiments upon Jewish individuals within concentration camps. Yvonne further elaborates on the outlandish claims.
Focusing on the chemical components that make up the popularly administered Pfizer vaccine, Dr. Amalia aka @dramaliabakri on TikTok addresses the overall fact that the vaccine is truly made up of safe and mostly non-foreign ingredients that are scientifically compatible within the human body. These chemicals comprise things such as mRNA, sugar, fat (or otherwise known as lipids), and salts. She further explains the reasons behind how these chemicals are necessary as well as how they interact with each other within the body. Her goal as a trained physician is to help inform those that may be wary about the vaccines contents and what they are putting into their bodies. Many individuals argue that they do not desire to “poison” their immune systems. By implementing an educational segment about the vaccine’s chemical makeup, Dr. Amalia opens the doors for the #ProVaccine crowd and anti-vaxxers alike to effectively make an educated decision for themselves as well as their family members.
Coming straight out of the depths of the emergency room @Steveioe on TikTok takes a more critical approach by using a variety of analogies to put anti-vaxxers on the spot, “Yes of course you can still get COVID19 even if you’re vaccinated, the same way you can still get pregnant if you use birth control,” he continues to use a much more morbid analogy, “and the same way you can still die from a car accident if you use a seatbelt, but that doesn’t mean you’re not going to use the birth control or the seatbelt.” In most instances, these safety mechanisms do have their exceptions, but are overall still used every day for a reason. The physician states that the vaccine is approximately 95% effective in combating the main strain of COVID19.
Promotional Materials
Twitter has also taken hold of the #ProVaccine movement with ultimate gusto. More specifically, The University of Chicago Medicine program has taken it upon itself to clear common misconceptions about the vaccine in a way that is simplified enough for a wide variety of social media users to understand by posting tweets and videos.
This Twitter post takes the form of a short video presentation combined with access to links that further inform social media users in regards to the concrete research that has been conducted by their knowledgeable staff and student population. They organize their data into textual chunks either labeled “fact” or “myth”. This makes it quite easy for readers to get the information quickly and accurately. Throughout multiple forms of media, #ProVaccine is led by the country's bravest and most medically educated professionals.
Other organizations have also been putting out as many #ProVaccine campaigns as they can. Most smaller entities focus on advertising that they have the vaccines available, while others have also turned to combat misinformation surrounding the vaccine. John Hopkins Hospital uses firsthand quotes to glamorize being part of the vaccine and the medical progress that has come with it. Major players in the health industry such as Mayo Clinic, the CDC, and WHO have also put out their support for the vaccine on Twitter.
#ProVaccine has been very effective when it comes to spreading information and debunking some common myths concerning the COVID-19 vaccine. One of the myths that have been addressed is the myth that masks are not necessary for people who have been vaccinated. In a Tweet by Unity Consortium, an explanation is given about the need for masks. The fact section of this Tweet reads, “Vaccinated people can still spread the virus so take precautions and follow local guidance on when you need to wear masks #MythMondays#DontWaitVaccinate #ProVaccine.” The use of #ProVaccine has also been used to address other objections that people have for getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Another post using this hashtag is one by Ned Miller on Twitter, Ned uses this hashtag to address concerns of pregnancy and the vaccine. “A state recorded 72 fetal deaths in unvaccinated pregnant women infected with COVID, sounding the alarm on the virus’s danger in pregnancy. If you are not #ProVaccine, you are not #ProLife! Stillbirths doubled in Mississippi amid coronavirus pandemic” (Ned Miller). Ned uses these shocking statistics to spread important information on the vaccine and pregnancy within the hashtag.
Personal Commentary
Most notably, though, even people who do not work in the medical field have taken it upon themselves to try to sway those who are on the fence. They post their opinions and first-hand experiences to show that not only are the vaccines safe, but they also are helping put an end to this deadly disease. Many people use the #ProVaccine hashtag to talk about their own experiences with the vaccine, ranging from getting it themselves to talking about other people that they know. One tweet, for example, reads “It is done. 2nd jab. Completed mate #fuckcovid #provaccine” and includes a photo of his vaccine card. Another reads, “I have a ‘friend’ who blocked me on Facebook. She works at @BoyleStreetEd with pregnant ladies. It's scary knowing someone who preaches the AHS is lying to us but works with inner-city individuals #provaccine #mindblown #ABCOVID” In addition to these tweets, people have also posted videos on TikTok. As vaccines are now becoming FDA approved for certain age groups, many are remembering the loved ones they have lost to the virus. One user talks about family members and family friends that have passed away and speaks about the privilege that Americans have compared to other countries in the world when it comes to vaccine availability and access. She says, “If my family members and family friends had the opportunity to get vaccinated, they would still be alive today.”
Conclusion
#Provaccine has made the spreading of COVID-19 vaccine-related content easier. Throughout TikTok and Twitter the hashtag has been used to spread as much encouragement for people to get the vaccine as possible, as well as misinformation. It has given people a tag to spread their own belief in vaccines. Between the professional commentary from individuals and organizations, personal experiences, and memes there is a lot of information floating around on the internet. The #Provaccine crowd has been committed to fighting the misinformation being put out by the opposing crowd and these tweets and TikToks are truly a showcase of their fight.
Works Cited
Amalina Bakri, “Ingredients of Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine”, #fyp #medicaltiktok #doctor
#vaccine #covid19 #provaccine Tik Tok, 21 February, 2021
CDC [@CDC]. “CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky endorses ACIP recommendation for a
booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech #COVID19 vaccine in certain populations & also
recommended booster dose for those in high risk occupational/ institutional settings. See
full statement.” Twitter, 24 September, 2021.
Danie(la) [@danie_soto03]. “I have a ‘friend’ who blocked me on Facebook. She works @BoyleStreetEd with pregnant ladies. Scary knowing someone who preaches that AHS is lying to us but works with inner city individuals. #provaccine #mindblown #ABCOVID” Twitter, 16 September 2021. https://twitter.com/danie_soto03/status/1438594325881884673
Graff, Sydney. Photo of provaccine welcome mat with caption. Facebook, 29 August 2021, 1:40 PM, https://www.facebook.com/sydney.graff.1/posts/3658607091031568. Accessed 24 September, 2021.
John Hopkins Medicine [@HopkinsMedicine] “Nurse M.C. Furtunato says working on the mobile #COVID19 #vaccine team is ‘the coolest thing I’ve ever done at John Hopkins.’ where she has worked as a #nurse since 1985.” Twitter, 25 September, 2021
@liss_stark “#duet with @chelseahartisme #provaccine #maskup #doyourpart #privledge” TikTok, 12 August, 2021, https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMRW7M3rw/. Accessed 26 September. 2021.
Mayo Clinic [@MayoClinic]. “Vaccination remains the best protection from #COVID19. Like most vaccines, getting vaccinated for COVID-19 is not 100% perfect. But if vaccinated people do get sick, they are much less likely to be hospitalized or die than people who are not vaccinated. https://mayocl.in/2X6tO5x” Twitter, 8 September, 2021.
Ned [@medmiller]. “A state recorder 72 fetal deaths in unvaccinated pregnant women infected with COVID, sounding the alarm on the virus’s danger in pregnancy. If you are not #ProVaccine, you are not #ProLife! Stillbirths doubled in Mississippi amid coronavirus pandemic” Twitter, 10 September 2021.
Ritchie, Hannah, et al. “Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccinations - Statistics and
Research.” Our World in Data, 5 Mar. 2020,
https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations.
[@rayneviolet_hyperdyper] “#duet with @steveioe” #covidvaccine #provaccine Tik Tok, 22 July,
2021
Steve O’Brien [@roguewolffe] “Losing all respect and attraction to your gym crush because it
turns out he’s an anti-masker. #maskup #getthejab #provaccine” Twitter, 20 September,
2021
Timmsi [@TheCharltonWay]. “It is done. 2nd jab. Completed mate #fuckcovid #provaccine.” Twitter, 11 March 2021. https://twitter.com/TheCharltonWay/status/1370014330993991691?s=20
UChicago Medicine [@UChicagoMed]. “Does someone really need the #COVID19 vaccine after having been infected? We took a look at some common misconceptions about COVID-19 vaccines.” Twitter, 17 September, 2021.
Unity Consortium [@UnityConsortium]. “Myth: I don’t need to wear a mask or social distance after vaccination. Fact: Vaccinated people can still spread the virus so take precautions and follow local guidance on when you need to wear masks. #MythMondays#DontWaitVaccine#ProVaccine.” Twitter, 13 September, 2021.
World Health Organization (WHO) [@WHO]. “The gap between countries who can & can’t afford vaccines is growing every day. Vaccinating everyone, everywhere is our only way to be free from the #COVID19 pandemic.#GoGiveOne for #VaccinEquity https://mstr.cd/3o5NNfV #GlobalCitizenLive” Twitter, 25 September 2021.
Yvonne [@scottishlassie0] #provaccine #hausofpetty #teamhalo #teamvaccinated #covid19 #nurse #doctor #vaccinesaresafe #dobetter Tik Tok, 5 August, 2021
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