No, the
is not anti-vaccine; in fact, it has explicitly urged its members and the public to get vaccinated.
The party's official position, particularly regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, was one of strong support for scientific public health measures:
- The CPUSA has stated that safe and effective vaccines protect millions from serious illness and death.
- It recognizes that vaccination, along with other measures like masking and social distancing, is a way to protect individuals and communities.
- The party has recommended that anyone attending in-person meetings should be fully vaccinated to ensure the safety and confidence of all participants.
The notion of "communism" being linked to lower vaccination rates generally stems from studies analyzing post-Communist countries, where the lasting effect of historical
distrust in government institutions (rather than the ideology itself) has been associated with lower vaccine confidence in modern times.
In the context of U.S. politics, anti-vaccine sentiment has primarily been associated with right-wing and conservative groups, who sometimes label public health mandates as "communist" or "fascist" government overreach, a characterization that experts have called a "false argument".