Fake News About Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Becomes Most Searched Trend on China’s Social Media

A vial of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine displayed during a press conference in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Dec. 23, 2020. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

A negative news report on Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine recently set off a debate on China’s social media.

On Jan. 27, an article titled “WHO Does Not Recommend MODERNA COVID-19 Vaccines” appeared on a host of Chinese state media outlets, including the Global Times, Guancha, iFeng Tech, and official accounts of local governments. This topic became so heated that it rocketed to fourth place on the list of the most searched hashtags on China’s social media Weibo.