Nicki Minaj Recent COVID-19 Vaccine Adverse Effects Tweets
It is safe to say that over the past two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has become the hottest topic not only in the medical community of the United States (US) but also in American politics. Recently, on September 14, one of the most popular singers today, Nicki Minaj, tweeted that taking the vaccine caused her cousin’s friend severe adverse effects, one of which was impotence that ruined his upcoming wedding (Reuters). This and the subsequent series of tweets sparked a heated discussion on Twitter between her followers and other users and attracted the attention of the authorities of several countries. The Biden administration invited the celebrity to the White House to discuss in detail various aspects of COVID-19 and existing vaccines with senior US health officials (Saad). Trinidad and Tobago Health Ministry officials said Minaj’s claims were untrue and misleading (Aratani). United Kingdom top ranks also discussed Nicki’s tweets in one of their recent coronavirus briefings (Newsbeat). They said the celebrity’s words are not accurate and have no scientific basis.
Nicki Minaj Tweets Impact on the American Society
Nowadays, coronavirus and vaccination have become topics that link together various societal spheres and groups that were previously unrelated to each other. The case of Nicki Minaj’s tweets shows that global authorities are closely monitoring what is happening in the online space and the media landscape, especially in times of crisis. As they should, because the careless words of a celebrity can undermine the ongoing vaccinations in the US and other countries, Nicki Minaj’s claims may raise skepticism about vaccines in the US male population. The male population has been more affected by the COVID-19 pandemic than the women, and the worsening situation is what Americans as a society cannot allow themselves. According to Ungar, “more women than men are getting covid vaccines, even as more men are dying of the disease.” Misinformation, even if it was unintentional, cost lives in the current age of information and data.
Personal Opinion
I believe that Nicki Minaj has every right to publicly express her skepticism about COVID-19 vaccines and discuss it with her audience and other public figures. However, people should not blindly follow their favorite celebrities just as they should not completely trust the government; making their own opinion based on facts from both sides and personal analysis is the right way. I chose this event precisely because of the sudden backlash it caused from government officials and the different social classes that these tweets brought together. The COVID-19 case of Nicki Minaj’s tweets shows that the world is becoming an increasingly interconnected and interrelated place, and any public action can lead to unexpected reactions. I will be following what happens next because it will be interesting to see if her opinion about vaccines changes after visiting the White House.
Questions to the Audience
It is obvious that recent Nicki’s tweets made some people, especially among her fans, turn their backs on COVID-19 vaccines. In your opinion, is the public expression of this kind of personal opinion worth the harm it can do to public health?
The invitation to the discussion in the White House was a surprising move from the US government, but this is how they interact with society today using online innovations. However, is such high interactivity and openness worth the monitoring capabilities that modern digital technologies give to the government?
Works Cited
Aratani, Lauren. “Nicki Minaj claim that Covid vaccine can cause impotence dismissed by Trinidad and Tobago.”The Guardian, 2021.
Newsbeat. “Nicki Minaj swollen testicles claim ‘wasted’ Trinidad health officials’ time.”BBC, 2021.
Reuters. “Nicki Minaj’s Covid-19 vaccine ‘swollen testicles’ claim is false, says Trinidad health minister.”CNN, 2021.
Saad, Nardine. “White House clarifies why Nicki Minaj was invited to discuss vaccine safety.”Los Angeles Times, 2021.
Ungar, Laura. “More women than men getting coronavirus vaccines.”USA Today, 2021.