Despite the increase in anti-vaccine discourse, pro-mandate court decisions still reduced mortality. In short, while mandates did energize the anti-vaccine movement, this backlash wasn't large enough to negate the mortality benefits. N/N

We then measure how court decisions upholding vaccine mandates affect anti-vaccine discourse. Pro-mandate decisions led to a rise in anti-vaccine discourse for two years before returning to baseline. 4/N

We use ML models to measure anti-smallpox vaccine discourse in American newspapers. Below is an example from a particularly anti-vaccine paper: 3/N