YORK, Pa. — Alexandra Roa was hesitant to get the COVID-19 vaccine when she became eligible for it.
Mainly because of misinformation she read on social media, she says.
“I saw a lot of news, I got a lot information about it," Roa said. "So, I saw all of that kind of information that obviously I doubted, I doubted about the vaccine."
Then she says she started doing more research and looking at data on the effectiveness and safety of the vaccine.
“I said, ‘no, obviously this is getting results.’ So I got it," said Roa.
But Roa is not the only one subjected to vaccine misinformation. It’s all over social media, says Michelle LaRue of CASA.
“We really need to take the time to verify the information, one, before we believe in it," LaRue says. "But definitely before we start sharing it."
LaRue says a lot of the time, people who spread that bad information are people who are close to us and who we trust.
“We trust our grandmothers," she says. "We trust our aunts and uncles and whoever is sharing it. So, I think we each need to realize that we have more influence that we may perceive."
CASA is trying to combat that misinformation by doing community outreach through community health workers.
“To get the word out about the safety and the importance of getting the vaccine. Also information on where to get vaccinated. Many times we just don’t know where to turn and what the process is going to look like," said LaRue.