Examining the Dynamics of COVID-19 Misinformation: Social Media Trends, Vaccine Discourse, and Public Sentiment

Introduction: COVID-19, known as coronavirus disease, has prompted a global reevaluation of societal norms. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a worldwide Public Health Emergency on January 30, 2020. Subsequently, governments and pharmaceutical firms developed vaccines, such as mRNA options from Pfizer and Moderna, alongside viral vector alternatives to combat the escalating COVID-19 case tally. Extensive inquiry was directed toward assessing vaccine efficiency. Nonetheless, vaccine discourse has surged across social media, prominently involving the anti-vaxxer community. This faction’s hesitancy, rooted in reservations about efficacy, potential side effects, and conspiracy notions, contributes to an ongoing dialogue. Objective: This investigation delves into social media’s role in proliferating COVID-19 misinformation, utilizing tools like Python, Excel, and external resources to craft data visuals that elucidate trends influencing misinformation dissemination and its hypothetical ties to elevated COVID-19 cases. Scrutiny of Twitter trends illuminates the prevalence of the hashtag #covidvaccine, although the platform curbs anti-vaccine hashtags. Result: Analysis of sentiment across 207,006 tweets reveals a prevailing positive sentiment toward COVID-19 vaccines, coexisting with lingering skepticism. Google trends reflect increased anti-vaccine ideology queries, notably post-FDA vaccine approval in December 2020, indicating public doubt. Conclusion: While limitations encompass data granularity, geographic origins of false tweets, bot account quantification on Twitter, and comprehensive digital resources, this study pioneers reference for forthcoming investigations. Its objective is to mitigate the diffusion of misinformation.