Hi, I'm Antonio Mora.
What are we thinking?
That is only thought that came to mind when
I read an Associated Press survey that found
only 49% of American adults say they plan
to get vaccinated against COVID-19 if and
when a vaccine becomes available.
20% said no way.
31% said they’re not sure.
Do these folks not realize that a quarter
of all US workers have filed jobless claims
because of the shutdown triggered by the virus?
That more than 100,000 people have died in
three months?
Or that a vaccine is our best chance for the
country to fully get back to normal?
The good news is that we are seeing encouraging
signs that one or more vaccines under development
will be successful.
Some have even begun phase 2 human trials,
raising the possibility of a best-case scenario
where mass distribution could begin early
next year, maybe even before the end of this
year.
The bad news is the anti-vaccine movement
has wasted no time and has already started
rallying against a possible COVID-19 vaccine.
And anti-vaxxers have been remarkably successful
in spreading their message now and in the
past.
Some studies have shown that as few as 60
percent of Americans are now confident in
the American system to evaluate the safety
of vaccines.
85 percent were confident in 2008.
It’s fine to be intelligently skeptical
and to have some concern over the current,
expedited vaccine process, but this blanket
fear and lack of confidence has led to some
really crazy reactions.
According to a Yahoo News/YouGov survey, 28%
of Americans believe Bill Gates is plotting
to use a COVID-19 vaccination campaign to
implant chips in billions of people to monitor
their movements.
Are you people serious?
Do you think Bill Gates is Lex Luthor?
I love DC Comics and Marvel movies as much
as the next guy, but you might want to remember
that they’re superhero comic books.
No wonder so many people believe the lies
of “Plandemic,” a pseudo-documentary that
spins a crazy tale of how the coronavirus
pandemic is a massive international conspiracy.
We already saw a measles resurgence because
of anti-vaxxer efforts.
Combine that with people not getting vaccinated
because they’re afraid to go to the doctor
because they think they might catch COVID-19,
and we’re facing a double whammy that could
revive measles and other ancient, mostly eradicated
diseases.
Vaccinations have plunged worldwide.
In the US, the CDC found an almost 50% drop
in kids being vaccinated for the measles in
the first quarter.
That’s mostly before the worst of the pandemic.
By last month, UNICEF said at least 25 countries
had suspended mass measles immunizations.
We know what can happen.
The 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa disrupted
vaccinations there, leading to an estimated
200 thousand measles cases.
Twice as many children died from the measles
than from Ebola.
And we’re seeing it now.
Polio was on the verge of global eradication
thanks in part to Bill Gates’ efforts.
Now clusters are growing.
Deadly diphtheria has surged in failed states
like Venezuela and Yemen.
The bottom line is that vaccines represent
one of the greatest achievements of science
and medicine in the battle against disease.
In fact, the World Health Organization says
only access to clean water has been more helpful
in reducing the burden of infectious diseases.
Only a couple of generations ago, we lived
in fear of paralysis from polio, death from
smallpox, infertility from mumps, horrible
birth defects from rubella, and misery, even
death, from measles.
Those are just a few of the diseases that
have seen dramatic declines because of vaccinations,
which even help economic growth everywhere,
because of lower morbidity and mortality.
Vaccines have been a major factor in doubling
global life expectancy since 1900.
Back then the world average was 31.
It’s now more than 72.
It’s time for governments, health organizations
and educational institutions to take action
and spread the truth about vaccines.
Tough laws mandating them need to be passed
and enforced, but using soft power could be
even more effective in counteracting anti-vaccine
propaganda.
Get the most popular celebrities…
Tom Hanks, Will Smith, Taylor Swift, Ariana
Grande, Selena Gomez and LeBron James, among
them… to appeal to their many fans and help
them understand how vaccines have changed
the world, how they represent hope, and how
they’ve allowed our modern way of life,
free of fear from so many diseases.
That would be a great public service.
