Senators urge VA to counter coronavirus vaccine misinformation spreading among veterans

A bipartisan group of senators, led by U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), wrote to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) last week with concerns about and calls to action against coronavirus vaccine misinformation being sown among veterans.

While misinformation has been a problem since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the bipartisan collection of senators noted the hesitancy this is spreading among veterans in particular. Although the VA has administered more than 1.8 million doses of the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines as of March 17, many more individuals remain vulnerable.

In particular, the senators cited a poll from the Blue Star Families organization, which found that nearly half of veteran families do not expect to receive vaccines, and 75 percent are concerned about vaccines’ safety and efficacy.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, false information related to the coronavirus has spread rapidly,” the senators wrote. “In order to save lives, we urge you to continue to address vaccine hesitancy by increasing educational efforts amongst VA recipients about vaccine misinformation. These efforts would build upon the actions the VA has already taken to warn veterans against scams soliciting money in exchange for vaccine availability.”

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act allotted more than $19 billion for the VA last year. The senators hoped that the VA would use some of the remaining funds for education efforts.

Additional signatories included U.S. Sens. Tina Smith (D-MN), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Bob Casey (D-PA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).