Lost in the angry retorts by those opposed to the Covid-19 vaccines is a simple truth: over 99% of recent Covid-19 deaths are unvaccinated individuals. To argue “the vaccine doesn’t work” is a misnomer. But this isn’t the heart of the problem. The heart of the problem is the potential long-term effects of this virus and its long-term success at mitigating the virus.
The real tragedy may be that people who are reasonable and well-educated might reject an otherwise perfectly safe vaccine and then get sick and die without protection. On the other hand, upon what do they have to base their trust: the drug companies, the government, their doctors who depend on the former two for reliable information?
The thing is we SHOULD be able to rely on drug companies and the government for reliable information but we really cannot at this time. The corruption of corporate heads and politicians and their willingness to lie and deceive for self-gain, regardless of the consequences to others, is beyond comprehension.
It’s the opposite of “the boy who cried wolf”, it’s a case where “the boy who cried ‘sheep’ where it was really a wolf!” It may truly be a sheep, but many don’t trust the boy!
Trying to suss out the credibility of claims about the vaccine is difficult because we cannot know if all data needed to make an informed decision is accurate or even available. We know the parties asking us to trust them aren’t trustworthy.
We also know that, for now at least, the vaccine has been shown to prevent serious illness and death. This is a good reason to take the vaccine. The slowness of the FDA in approving the vaccine, the unwillingness of all parties to assume responsibility or make guarantees regarding the vaccine’s effectiveness, and the unavoidable fact this was a rush effort all cause hesitancy.
The response to the hesitant has only made matters worse. Shunning, shaming, and bullying are not useful.
The spread of false information attacking the vaccine has only made matters worse, but these falsehoods are thriving because of factors the powers that be could mitigate. The FDA could stop dragging its feet and either approve vaccine or stop its use, whatever the facts dictate. Someone, anyone, could actually assume legal responsibility for any harm caused if we find, like the polio vaccine, the vaccine is tainted. The government could come clean on the polio vaccine and its true impact.
People will likely die without the vaccine but mostly because the way this roll-out has been conducted doesn’t engender a level of confidence necessary to earn universal compliance.
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