The “Anti-Vaccers”

Well, we are getting toward the end of February, and nearly a quarter of our population have now been vaccinated. It’s great isn’t it! Hopefully it may finally mean we will be able to safely see others again. Sounds a bit too optimistic? Well yeah, because after all, it does depend on a range of factors; one being whether enough people choose to take the dam thing or not… Yeah, after all the research, effort and expertise which has gone into producing the vaccine, people still don’t trust it.

History of Anti-Vaccers

Without boring you to death, there has been some resentment concerning vaccines for some time… Beginning in the 18th century in the US, where religious leaders would describe them as the “devil’s work.” The campaign grew in the 19th and 20th centuries as a matter of human rights. Then let’s skip to 1997, where we can thank to the works of Andrew Wakefield, a former medical doctor, Who suggested a possible link between the MMR vaccination and autism in children.  Following on, The Lancet, a respected scientific journal, initially published his research. Of course this led to many parents being reluctant to get their children vaccinated. There had also been other concerns expressed online against the vaccine.

Anti Covid Vaccers

In “normal” circumstances, it would have been unlikely for me to want a post about something like this, yet unfortunately covid has certainly exasperated the “anti vax” movement. Many of the people who have actively campaigned against the covid vaccine, have been the same people who have also campaigned against lockdowns, mask wearing and the actual existence of corona. Conspiracy theorists have included David Icke, Pierce Corbyn and Gary Matthews, who later died of corona. And because corona has dominated our world, of course more attention is going to be drawn on it. While due to unsurprising increases of anger and upset among the public, as well as thanks to the increased time spent in front of a screen, it is unsurprising many may become drawn in. Plus concerning the vaccine (well vaccines), due to it being developed much faster than most as well as that it is so new, it’s unsurprising that there is that little extra concern.

The Internet’s role

In the past, the majority of people would resort to newspapers or more recently the TV to find out what’s going on in the world. Yet now, for many, the internet has become a favorite source. And while there’s bound to be many excellent and informative articles online, concerning the vaccine, there is also a lot of rubbish. Which really, anyone can easily put out.

But how can these websites provoke so much attention? When one website states that a popular anti depressant is turning guppies into zombies, then of course there is that thing concerning Bill Gates and the microchip… Well the most basic reason would be because websites like these tend to be filled with attention gripping headlines, glossy images and dazzling info-graphics, which may appear more exciting to the average person scrolling through the internet, in comparison to a black and white scientific guide. Furthermore because content on groups is shared by people on Facebook whom people feel they have a lot in common with, I would say they would be more likely to be drawn into the content rather than otherwise. So while social media outlets are estimated to be making $1 billion a year off anti vax content, more people are being persuaded against taking certain vaccinations, which of course could cost lives…

Actually “understanding it”

But another reason as to why many are suspicious of vaccines and science in general could be down to a breakdown of trust in the establishments. This could be down to feelings of being let down, or lied to in the past. Hence why certain groups on social media and websites are getting rather popular. However there is another force at play, being entrepreneurs who reach around half of the anti-vaccine following, exposing them to advertisements for products purporting to have health benefits.

Can YOU do Anything About it?

So it may seem pointless in trying to take action against a movement which is fueled by so much passion and angst (I’m not too sure if these are the correct words). However there has been an extinction made between two main groups of people, those who are passionately anti vax and who are fueling the movement, and those who have more suspicions about certain vaccines (especially the covid vaccine considering that it is new). While as we know the internet is rather good at persuading people one way or another. But in this respect, all of us who are persuaded to take the vaccine have a voice and a role to play in persuading others who are unsure of the vaccine, that it is completely safe. However (unfortunately) trying to “cancel” those groups who are certain about not taking any vaccine, would be extremely unlikely to be of any help. Because these are very deep rooted beliefs, which will need to be tackled, in the long run.

Sources:

Rage against Science, why we oppose Anti-Vaxxers – Kaleidoscope Project

Anti-vaxxer: Definition, beliefs, risks, and more (medicalnewstoday.com)

~ Disclaimer, this IS an antivax wwebsite: The top 10 bombshell VACCINE stories of 2019 – NaturalNews.com

The online anti-vaccine movement in the age of COVID-19 – The Lancet Digital Health