COVID
112 COVID-19 Vaccine Conspiracy Theories and STS
Emma Taylor
Introduction
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people declined to receive a vaccine designed to prevent severe symptoms of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. During this unprecedented time, rampant spread of conspiracy theories led to an “epidemic of uncertainty” (Pertwee, Simas, & Larson, 2022). Mass amounts of misinformation amplified feelings of doubt and confusion regarding the security of this new technology. Protests against vaccination mandates received wide exposure on social media and amplified global attention of conspiracy theorists. The spread of misinformation resulted in many regressive consequences, including the harassment of healthcare workers and difficulty achieving herd immunity.
Connection to STS
Scientific progress and technological advancements are not always met with societal acceptance. Even though the advancement in vaccination technology reduced hospitalizations from the disease, many workers in healthcare were harassed by vaccine conspiracy theorists (Zadrozny, 2023). After receiving the vaccine, nurse Tiffany Dover fainted while answering questions about the new medication. She quickly recovered, but many people made up stories about her credibility and even her death. She had a history of fainting, and she continued to encourage other people to get the vaccine. However, the vaccine was new at this time. The general public was unaware of the side effects and possible dangers of this new medicine. Actions like this contributed to the spread of the virus and regression in achieving herd immunity. Contagious diseases such as COVID-19 lead to suspicion in addition to illness, which can reduce the solidarity of a community (Porta, 2023).
History of the Anti-Vax Movement
The COVID-19 vaccine is not the only vaccine that has been met with skepticism. In 1998, Andrew Wakefiled published The Lancet claiming that there was a correlation between autism and the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella vaccine. While the research in this article was discredited and the author’s medical privileges have been revoked, up to 20% of people surveyed in the early 2000s said that this research was true. In 2008, the United Kingdom announced they were experiencing a Mump epidemic as a result of vaccination rates falling below the recommended 95% (Jolley & Douglas, 2014).
Social Media and Vaccine Conspiracy Theories
The amount of input about the vaccine on social media created mass confusion. Copious amounts of viral misinformation contributed to the creation and dissemination of conspiracy theories about COVID-19 and later the vaccine. Various social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter served as platforms for the spread of misinformation regarding COVID-19 and its vaccine. In April 2020, Twitter reported that every 45 milliseconds someone tweeted about COVID-19 (Pertwee, Simas, & Larson, 2022). Claims that the government was “microchipping” and tracking people who received the vaccine lea