Ars TechnicaAnti-vaccine nonsense will likely kill thousands this season, FDA officials say
Top regulatory officials call for clinicians to speak up and drown out misinformation.
cherrybombspice@arstechnica Vaccine hesitancy, misinfo, injuries & the anti vaccine movement will continue to be an issue if not properly addressed.
This is also a consequence of not handling misinfo & disinfo, or for spreading it throughout this ongoing pandemic. As is corruption, abandonment & malfeasance from officials, outlets & institutions.
There is too the matter of a society drenched in messages and media, w/out teaching or prioritizing media & comms literacy. Science literacy is also a major issue.
@arstechnica I also want to point out a less obvious thing that I once read which is in a society horrible healthcare access, &disparities (e.g. medical abuse, bias, trauma, etc) ppl are more prone to home care or remedies.
So you have ppl who can't get care, have likely had experiences w/HCWs so they're mistrustful, understand HC profits mercilessly on ppl, & want solutions that aren't costly, & or don't involve the medical system or companies. & wellness industry & anti vaxx prey on some.
@arstechnica Not to say this is the only things that draw ppl into movements or disinfo/misinfo. It doesn't help our officials keep saying SARS-CoV-2 is milder, or some ppl insisting getting sick purposefully is what is needed to keep our immune systems strong or develop kids immunity. Lots of problems. Lots of chickens coming to roost all around. Plus all the fascism, eugenics, ableism, racism, transphobia, homophobia, etc on the rise.
Cassandra -2024@cherrybombspice @arstechnica
Other than pandering to their base, I wonder what benefits proponents of vaccine disinformation gain. Is there some kind of financial gain from telling people not to get vaccinated? To me, it seems like the GOP is killing off their own base, but someone, somewhere, must be benefitting from this.
Other than pandering to their base, I wonder what benefits proponents of vaccine disinformation gain. Is there some kind of financial gain from telling people not to get vaccinated? To me, it seems like the GOP is killing off their own base, but someone, somewhere, must be benefitting from this.