Famed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson talks producing film on vaccine hesitancy

August 14th, 2024

Shot in the Arm executive producer Neil deGrasse Tyson, left, poses with All Things Considered producer Christopher Alston, center, and host Jim Burress. — "Shot in the Arm" executive producer Neil deGrasse Tyson, left, poses with "All Things Considered" producer Christopher Alston, center, and host Jim Burress at the 2024 National Immunizations Conference in Atlanta, which hosted a screening of the documentary. (Courtesy of Anne Isenhower)

Updated at 7:32 p.m.

“Shot in the Arm,” a new documentary from Oscar-nominated director Scott Hamilton Kennedy and executive producer Neil deGrasse Tyson, is set to hit theaters and PBS stations nationwide this fall.

The film, which explores vaccine hesitancy and disinformation, began as an investigation into a global measles epidemic in 2019 but shifted focus to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kennedy and Tyson joined “All Things Considered” to talk about the film’s conception and the impact they hope for it to have on anyone with doubts about the efficacy of vaccines.

The Decatur-based Task Force for Global Health hosted a screening of “Shot in the Arm” as part of the 2024 National Immunizations Conference held in Atlanta from Aug. 12 to 14.

Featuring interviews with public health experts and vaccine skeptics, the documentary aims to address the cultural and political divides surrounding vaccines.

The film is set to premiere in New York City on Nov. 3, 2024, with additional screenings to follow.

Christopher Alston contributed to this report.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported the film’s premiere date. The story has been updated to reflect that it is on Nov. 3, 2024.