Vaccine misinformation, which first began spiraling during the Covid-19 pandemic, has grown in the United States in the years since, according to a new survey from the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania.
More than 1,500 adults responded to the survey between October 5 – 12 and according to the results, the share of people who viewed vaccines as less safe and effective has increased since April 2021, when the group was first included on a panel for the survey.
Americans are less likely to consider it safe to get the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), pneumonia and Covid-19 vaccines than they were in April 2021.
While still a small group, people with views about the vaccines causing autism, cancer and illnesses such as the flu or Covid-19 also ticked up.
Reminds me of a recent study where dog owners are starting to question the rabies vaccine
We’re going to live through a time where this “skepticism” results in old diseases coming back.
Oh for Christ’s sake… do they not know what rabies is?
Getting or spreading rabies is not an option.
Unfortunately a very large group of people seem to be taking an approach of “it didn’t directly happen to me therefore [either it never will or it’s not really a big deal],” and even when it does there’s a natural reluctance to admit fault so they’ll find something else to blame rather than rethink how their previous opinion led to their current situation.
It’s already happening
Anti-vaxxers are a public health hazard.