The hottest Risk Communication Substack posts right now

A British study found Pfizer mRNA shots were only marginally effective at reducing COVID in 12–15 year olds and showed no reduction in hospital visits for 5–11 year olds over the months studied.
Vaccinated teens and children had cases of myocarditis and pericarditis and some non-COVID deaths that were not seen in unvaccinated peers, and younger vaccinated kids had about 5% more ER visits and 10% more hospitalizations overall.
These results have deepened parental distrust of public health officials who promoted the shots, making it harder for authorities to maintain confidence in other vaccine programs.

Severe COVID outcomes in children were already very rare, and vaccination provided only modest, short‑lived protection; with widespread prior infection and milder variants today, the marginal benefit is likely smaller.
Cardiac inflammation (myocarditis/pericarditis) appeared only in vaccinated children in the data; these events are rare but measurable, and follow‑up imaging shows persistent abnormalities in a notable fraction.
Study framing and conclusions can emphasize small benefits while softening harms, so important safety signals may be buried in tables rather than highlighted; risk–benefit assessments should be re‑evaluated transparently as baseline risk changes.

The vaccines' headline "95% effective" referred to relative risk reduction while the absolute risk reduction was only about 0.7–1.1%, and the smaller absolute benefit was not widely reported, which the text says misled people and violated informed consent.
The post claims some mRNA dosing showed negative efficacy—suggesting more doses could increase the chance of getting COVID—and also asserts myocarditis after vaccination is not rare or mild and is more likely from vaccination than from infection.
The piece accuses governments and pharmaceutical companies of propaganda and silence, and raises mechanistic concerns like viral/product shedding, plasmid DNA transfer, exosome effects, and a shift toward anti‑spike IgG4 antibodies after repeated mRNA shots.

Public health needs to focus more on effective communication during crises.
Efforts to combat misinformation in public health are crucial and ongoing.
Public health organizations should prioritize timely, transparent, and empathetic communication.

Many people now believe that mRNA Covid shots are not safe or effective. This has led to a significant drop in the number of people getting vaccinated, even in areas that previously supported vaccinations.
Public health officials and media outlets are still trying to promote the Covid vaccines as if they are widely accepted. This disconnect is causing more distrust among the public toward health authorities.
There is a growing realization that mistakes were made in how the Covid vaccines were marketed. Acknowledging these errors is important for restoring trust in health institutions and science.

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In 1977, the Davis Besse nuclear plant faced a potential meltdown due to a valve failure during startup.
Operators faced challenges due to incorrect training and manuals during the crisis.
The incident highlighted issues with safety communication within organizations and regulatory bodies.

Risk communication patterns can be ineffective, even with simple green, yellow, red indicators.
Teams reporting different patterns of risk may reveal underlying issues like confidence, uncertainty, or fear.
To improve risk communication, dig deeper into dependencies, shift uncertainties to red, and promote clear reporting and decision-making.

Vaccine passports may not effectively address vaccine hesitancy due to their potential to act more as a punishment than a motivator.
Implementing vaccine passports could lead to 'vaccine theatre,' where the requirement of proof of vaccination at events may not necessarily protect or benefit individuals.
The use of vaccine passports may paradoxically lower the demand for vaccination by reducing the prevalence of the virus, making it a temporary solution rather than a long-term strategy.