{"id":24717,"date":"2020-04-29T05:25:00","date_gmt":"2020-04-29T05:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southafricajournal.com\/?p=24717"},"modified":"2020-04-30T05:27:56","modified_gmt":"2020-04-30T05:27:56","slug":"groups-sow-doubt-about-covid-vaccine-before-one-even-exists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southafricajournal.com\/groups-sow-doubt-about-covid-vaccine-before-one-even-exists\/","title":{"rendered":"Groups Sow Doubt About COVID Vaccine Before One Even Exists"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

NEW\nYORK – A coronavirus vaccine is still months or years away, but groups that\npeddle misinformation about immunizations are already taking aim, potentially\neroding confidence in what could be humanity’s best chance to defeat the\nvirus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In\nrecent weeks, vaccine opponents have made several unsubstantiated claims,\nincluding allegations that vaccine trials will be dangerously rushed or that\nDr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious diseases expert, is blocking\ncures to enrich vaccine makers. They’ve also falsely claimed that Microsoft\nfounder Bill Gates wants to use a vaccine to inject microchips into people \u2014 or\nto cull 15% of the world’s population. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vaccine\nopponents in the U.S. have been around for a long time. Their claims range from\nrelatively modest safety concerns about specific vaccines or the risk of side\neffects to conspiracy theories that border on the bizarre. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nmovement is receiving renewed attention, especially as it aligns itself with\ngroups loudly protesting restrictions on daily life aimed at controlling the\nspread of the virus. Health professionals say vaccine misinformation could have\nlethal consequences if it leads people to opt for bogus cures\ninstead.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Only\na coronavirus vaccine can truly protect us from future outbreaks,” said\nDr. Scott Ratzan, a physician and medical misinformation expert at the\nCity University of New York and Columbia University. “But what if the\neffort succeeds and large numbers of people decide not to vaccinate themselves\nor their children?” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While\nvaccines for diseases such as polio, smallpox and measles have benefited\nmillions, some skeptics reject the science, citing a distrust of modern\nmedicine and government. Others say mandatory vaccine requirements violate their\nreligious freedom.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rita\nPalma, the leader of the anti-vaccine group in Long Island called My Kids, My\nChoice, is among those who say their families won’t get the coronavirus\nvaccine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Many\nof us are anxiety stricken at the thought of being forced to get a\nvaccine,” Palma said. “I will never choose to have a COVID-19\nvaccine. I don’t want the government forcing it on my community or my\nfamily.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the outset of the\ncoronavirus pandemic, vaccine skeptics have tailored several long-standing\nclaims about vaccine safety to fit the current outbreak. When the first U.S.\ncase was announced in January, some alleged the coronavirus was manufactured\nand that patents for it could be found online. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thousands of deaths\nlater, vaccine opponents are endorsing unapproved treatments, second-guessing\nmedical experts and pushing fears about mandatory vaccinations. They’ve also\nlatched onto protests against stay-at-home orders in the U.S. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The coronavirus\nhas created this perfect storm of misinformation,” remarked David\nA. Broniatowski, an associate professor at George Washington University’s\nschool of engineering and applied science who has published several studies on\nvaccine misinformation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last week, an\nanti-vaccine activist was arrested in Idaho after repeatedly refusing police\norders to leave a playground closed because of the pandemic. The woman, who was\nthere with other families, is affiliated with two groups that protested at the\nIdaho Statehouse against stay-at-home orders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Facebook groups formed\nto organize the protests have been peppered with vaccine hoaxes and myths.\nPerhaps no one plays a bigger role in the conspiracy theories than Gates, who\nis funding vaccine research. The online movement has centered concerns around a\nCOVID-19 vaccine on false claims that Gates is planning to microchip people\nwith the vaccine or use it to reduce the world’s population. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.,\na vaccine critic who helped popularize unsubstantiated claims that vaccines can\ncause autism, said Gates’ work gives him “dictatorial control of global\nhealth policy.” Roger Stone, a former adviser to President Donald Trump,\nwent further on a New York City radio show, saying Gates “and other\nglobalists” are using the coronavirus “for mandatory vaccinations and\nmicrochipping people.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Such wild theories can\nhave real-world effects. False rumors that Gates hoped to test an experimental\nvaccine in South Africa became mainstream after a news site erroneously\nreported the claim. One of the country’s political parties then sent a letter\nto President Cyril Rampahosa demanding answers about\n“deals” struck with Gates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, Gates and his\nwife are financing a vaccine trial in Philadelphia and Kansas City, Missouri,\nnot South Africa. He also suggested creating a database of people immune to the\nvirus, not implanting microchips.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Monday, during\nremarks recognizing World Immunization Week, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus\ncriticized vaccine skeptics for spreading misinformation at a time when many\nfamilies are delaying or skipping routine childhood immunizations because\nthey’re afraid of COVID-19 exposure in doctors’ offices. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Myths and\nmisinformation about vaccines are adding fuel to the fire,” he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Health experts have\nrepeatedly said there is no evidence the coronavirus was intentionally created\nor spread. They also insist that vaccines are not only safe, but essential to global\nhealth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Vaccine\nresearchers and anyone who is a vaccine advocate cares deeply about vaccine\nsafety,” said Dr. Paul Offit, a Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia\nphysician and co-inventor of a vaccine for rotavirus, which kills hundreds of\nthousands of children annually. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For most people, the\ncoronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that\nclear up in two to three weeks. But it can cause more severe illness, including\npneumonia, and death for some people, especially older adults and people with\nexisting health problems.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The vaccine debate is\nfertile ground for groups looking to sow discord in the United States. Russia\nseized on it to create divisions before the 2016 U.S. election, and appears to\nbe at it again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A report from a\nEuropean Union disinformation task force found numerous conspiracy theories in\nEnglish-language Russian media, including state-run RT, claiming an eventual\nvaccine will be used to inject nanoparticles into people.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“When pro-Kremlin\ndisinformation outlets spread anti-vaccine tropes, they become responsible for\nthose who will hesitate to seek professional medical care,” the EU report\nsaid. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Source: Voice of America<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NEW YORK – A coronavirus vaccine is still months or years away, but groups that peddle misinformation about immunizations are already taking aim, potentially eroding confidence in what could be humanity’s best chance to defeat the virus.  In recent weeks, vaccine opponents have made several unsubstantiated claims, including allegations that vaccine trials will be dangerously … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nGroups Sow Doubt About COVID Vaccine Before One Even Exists - South Africa Journal<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/southafricajournal.com\/groups-sow-doubt-about-covid-vaccine-before-one-even-exists\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Groups Sow Doubt About COVID Vaccine Before One Even Exists - South Africa Journal\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"NEW YORK – A coronavirus vaccine is still months or years away, but groups that peddle misinformation about immunizations are already taking aim, potentially eroding confidence in what could be humanity’s best chance to defeat the virus.  In recent weeks, vaccine opponents have made several unsubstantiated claims, including allegations that vaccine trials will be dangerously ... 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