JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Media narratives can shape public opinion and action. Media can influence perceptions, and action regarding COVID-19 vaccines. COVID-19 has occurred at a time where ‘infodemics’ are present, and the COVID-19 response has suffered from this infodemic.

Objective:

To investigate how paediatric COVID-19 vaccine narratives have unfolded in the media of four countries USA, Australia, Canada and the UK.

Methods:

The Narrative Policy Framework (NPF) was used to guide the analyses of the major print and online news agencies’ media regarding COVID-19 vaccines for the 5 to 11 year old age group, in four English speaking countries. Data were sought using systematic searching on Factiva of four key phases of the paediatric vaccine approval and roll-out.

Results:

400 articles (287 for USA, 40 for Australia, 60 for Canada, and 13 for the United Kingdom) fit our search criteria and were included. Using the NPF, the following were identified in articles: hero, villain, victim, plot. The USA was the earliest to vaccinate children, and other countries’ media often lauded the USA for this. All four of USA, Australia, UK, and Canada used war imagery in reporting COVID-19 vaccines for children. The advent of the Omicron variant demonstrated that populations were fatigued by COVID-19 and the media reporting increasingly blamed those who were not vaccinated.

Conclusions:

Analysis of the hero, villain, victim, and plot of 400 media articles about COVID-19 vaccination in children shows that the media coverage of this pandemic relies on interpersonal narrative stories. Public health emergencies require clear, compelling and above all, accurate communication. The stories told in this pandemic are compelling because they contain the classic elements of a narrative, however they can be reductive and inaccurate.