Teen social media stars in uphill battle against COVID-19 vaccine misinformation

Normally, they're paid for their posts -- but these influencers are encouraging vaccinations for free.

Ellie Zeiler is known by her 10 million TikTok followers for her fashion hauls, beauty hacks and viral dance videos. Although her feed often includes endorsements for major brands, her latest partnership came from the U.S. government, which asked her for help encouraging people to get the COVID-19 vaccine. “They said they were starting this whole process of reaching out to influencers — people who were in the public eye ... really wanting to stop these rumors and get the word out about the vaccine,” Zeiler told ABC News. The 17-year-old, who was vaccinated in May, has continued to share her experience of getting the shot in an effort to ease the concerns of other young Americans, which are the least-vaccinated age group in the country.