Highly Recommended: Dr. Peter Hotez (vaccinologist) OPED in Nature on addressing anti-vaxxers

[hlthe2b]

Just discussed on MSNBC Deadline Whitehouse this hour with Nicole Wallace. Worth reading the entire piece.

COVID vaccines: time to confront anti-vax aggression
Halting the spread of the coronavirus will require a high-level counteroffensive against new destructive forces.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01084-x

--snip--

Even before the pandemic, I had a front-row seat to all of this. I have co-led efforts to develop vaccines in programmes, including a COVID-19 vaccine currently being tested in India. I also have an adult daughter with autism; my 2018 book, Vaccines Did Not Cause Rachel’s Autism, became a dog whistle for anti-vaccine activists.

The World Health Organization recognized vaccine hesitancy as a top threat to global health before the pandemic. As COVID-19 vaccines moved through development, the public-health communities anticipated considerable vaccine hesitancy. Teams of experts, including me, began meeting regularly online to discuss how best to amplify evidence-based messages, deliver public-service announcements and address concerns around COVID-19 immunization.
--snip--
I have a long-standing disagreement with many of my US public-health colleagues. I admire their commitment to disease prevention, but when I ask for a more direct way to counter anti-vaccine aggression, I’m told, “that’s not our approach; confrontation gives them a platform and oxygen.” In my opinion, this attitude reflects a time when we had dial-up modems. Today, the anti-vaccine empire has hundreds of websites and perhaps 58 million followers on social media. The bad guys are winning, in part because health agencies either underestimate or deny the reach of anti-science forces, and are ill-equipped to counter it.
--snip--
The United States hosts the world’s largest and best-organized anti-vaccine groups. According to the London-based Center for Countering Digital Hate, these are influential groups, not a spontaneous grass-roots movement. Many far-right extremist groups that spread false information about last year’s US presidential election are doing the same about vaccines. Anti-vaccine groups also target Black communities; an anti-vaccine documentary released in March vilifies COVID-19 vaccine testing among African Americans, calling it “medical racism”.

[dem4decades]

1. I just saw on Nicole that he's been attacked by the GOP Nazi's for this.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

3. I saw this also

This is sad

[BigmanPigman]

2. Russia/Putin has been leading anti-vax campaigns

in Europe and the US. This is another cute tricks of Putin. Between him and Fux Ruse the anti-vaxxers feel empowered. Morons!

[abqtommy]

4. We can correctly label reTHUG Insurrectionists, anti-maskers, anti-covid restrictionists

and anti-vaxxers as FASCISTS. And history shows us clearly that the kindest thing we can do to them is lock them all up. Except for those few anti-vaxxers that do have valid medical
reasons. But there's not many of those.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

6. Agree lock up the fascists for life

And silence them.

[malaise]

5. Thanks

Get thee to the greatest page for visibility