As more pharmaceutical companies are getting closer to the development of an effective vaccine against COVID 19 anti-vaccination movements are starting to become louder in an attempt to push campaigns of disinformation that could lead to serious issues in the long run.
Recent research has shown that those who are against vaccines rely on a tried-and-true set of strategies that may seem quite hard to spot at first sight but excel at attracting attention and new potential messages that could further their agenda.
Arguing that a disease isn’t as serious as it seems
One of the most notorious examples of this approach is the campaign led by Dr. Alexander M. Ross during the smallpox epidemic, which affected Montreal in 1885. He argued that the disease isn’t as dangerous as it seems and urged people to avoid vaccination. His reputation took a big dent after newspapers revealed that he was vaccinated during the epidemic.
Chasing conspiracy theories
Conspiracy theories have remained a core part of most anti-vaccination campaigns, mumbling about the mad scientists and evil medical corporations that seek to earn lots of money as well as power-hungry politicians who want to take over the world.
Claiming that vaccines are useless or dangerous
The rigged study, which argued that vaccines could cause autism, was discredited a long time ago, but many continue to argue that it described the truth and that pharmaceutical companies rushed to discredit the doctor behind it so they could continue to sell vaccines.
Despite the fact that such wild claims remain popular, historical evidence proves that vaccines have played a critical step in combating many infectious diseases that used to wreak havoc in the past. While some people can experience adverse effects from a vaccine, this happens very rarely, and the benefits outweigh the cons at a society level. Modern vaccines are tested repeatedly to ensure that they are as harmless as possible.