Americans Are Becoming Increasingly Skeptical About Vaccine Safety
In the race for the White House, politicians from both the left and right are tapping into a growing skepticism about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines. Recent polls reveal that while a majority of voters still trust vaccines for diseases like Covid-19, measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), there has been a significant shift in public opinion, with millions of Americans now questioning their safety.
Online misinformation and false claims connecting vaccines to adverse events such as death and autism have spread widely, prompting health authorities to issue warnings. Moreover, there has been a rise in the belief that a drug called ivermectin, which is primarily used in veterinary medicine, can effectively treat Covid-19.
Despite the potential consequences for public health, two politicians, Robert F. Kennedy Jr, an independent, and Ron DeSantis, the Republican Governor of Florida, are incorporating vaccine skepticism into their campaign platforms for the 2024 elections. Kathleen Hall Jamieson, the director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center, released a poll revealing disturbing “warning signs” in the increasing rates of vaccine skepticism.
According to Jamieson’s poll of over 1,500 adults, the number of Americans who view Covid-19 vaccines as unsafe has risen from 18 percent in August of last year to 24 percent in the past month. Similarly, the percentage of people who believe that vaccines contribute to autism in children has increased from 10 percent in April 2021 to 16 percent recently. Additionally, the proportion of adults supporting the use of ivermectin for Covid-19 prevention or treatment has surged from 10 percent in September 2021 to 26 percent last month.
It is important to note that the use of ivermectin to combat Covid-19 goes against the guidance of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Another poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports with 1,110 US adults yielded even more alarming results. Since the introduction of the latest updated Covid-19 vaccines in mid-September, their uptake has been slow. Shockingly, 24 percent of respondents reported knowing someone who died due to side effects of a Covid-19 vaccine.
While cases of heart problems and thrombosis resulting from Covid-19 vaccines have occurred, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) emphasizes that serious adverse reactions are uncommon. Numerous studies have shown that these vaccines have prevented millions of deaths and hospitalizations in the United States. Unfortunately, over 1.1 million Americans have lost their lives to Covid-19, primarily among the unvaccinated population.
Furthermore, Rasmussen’s poll highlighted that a significant number of Americans would be interested in joining a class-action lawsuit against vaccine manufacturers like Pfizer, BioNTech, and Moderna due to vaccine side effects. Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated in a podcast that he believes “there’s no vaccine that is safe and effective.” The survey revealed that 42 percent of respondents would likely participate in such a legal effort, with 24 percent expressing a strong likelihood.
These polls reflect a growing skepticism towards vaccines that is trickling into the upcoming White House race. Kennedy, who withdrew his bid for the Democratic Party’s nomination and is now running as an independent, has been a long-time critic of vaccines and has propagated various unconventional theories. He has previously claimed that vaccines are not safe and can cause autism. On the other hand, DeSantis, who gained popularity for his early reopening of schools and businesses in Florida, seems to be capitalizing on vaccine hesitancy as a strategy to secure votes. His administration even discouraged Floridians under the age of 65 from getting the updated Covid-19 vaccines, contradicting federal guidance.
DeSantis recently attended a “medical freedom” town hall in Manchester, New Hampshire, an early primary state, where he downplayed the effectiveness of vaccines. He criticized the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines for lacking adequate studies and accused federal officials of inaccurately assessing their risks and benefits. However, DeSantis’ support among Republican voters for the party’s nomination has declined from over 30 percent at the beginning of 2023 to a mere 13 percent, significantly lagging behind the frontrunner, former president Donald Trump.
