this post was submitted on 20 Sep 2023
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A Biden administration that vowed to restore Americans’ faith in public health has grown increasingly paralyzed over how to combat the resurgence in vaccine skepticism.

And internally, aides and advisers concede there is no comprehensive plan for countering a movement that’s steadily expanded its influence on the president’s watch.

The rising appeal of anti-vaccine activism has been underscored by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s insurgent presidential campaign and fueled by prominent factions of the GOP. The mainstreaming of a once-fringe movement has horrified federal health officials, who blame it for seeding dangerous conspiracy theories and bolstering a Covid-era backlash to the nation’s broader public health practices.

But as President Joe Biden ramps up a reelection campaign centered on his vision for a post-pandemic America, there’s little interest among his aides in courting a high-profile vaccine fight — and even less certainty of how to win.

“There’s a real challenge here,” said one senior official who’s worked on the Covid response and was granted anonymity to speak candidly. “But they keep just hoping it’ll go away.”

The White House’s reticence is compounded by legal and practical concerns that have cut off key avenues for repelling the anti-vaccine movement, according to interviews with eight current and former administration officials and others close to the process.

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[–] [email protected] 98 points 1 year ago (5 children)

skepticism

The media keeps using that word, I do not think it means what they think it means. These people aren't questioning, they're not doubtful; they're convinced. They are certain that their position is the correct one and no amount of new information will change their minds.

Stop calling this "skepticism"

[–] MargotRobbie 32 points 1 year ago

It should be called "vaccine cynicism"

Get your flu and COVID shots this winter, please. Don't get yourself sick, and don't get other people sick.

[–] FlyingSquid 24 points 1 year ago

Similarly, I hate the term 'conspiracy theorist.' They're not coming up with theories, they're making up bullshit. I prefer 'conspiracy monger.'

[–] egeres 4 points 1 year ago

That's a very good point I had never though before

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[–] [email protected] 79 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (26 children)

There’s a pragmatic solution here:

1). Make vaccines free. The government pays.

2). Require vaccines for participation in publicly funded social programs. Schools. Social Security. Etc.

3). Allow doctor authorized health waivers to number 2.

4). Wait.

Most people will get the free vaccines either because they’re reasonable people, because the vaccines are free, or because they want government services. Those that don’t will die earlier. Eventually even stupid people will notice or they’ll be dead.

[–] CobblerScholar 35 points 1 year ago (1 children)

We are creatures of convenience, the way to make people do anything is by making it easier to comply than not to comply.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I got my first COVID vaccine and the booster at a drive-through clinic. My favorite part was the vibe there. We could finally do something to fight to get things back to normal and everybody was stoked.

[–] 0110010001100010 11 points 1 year ago

Same, it was super chill. People were awesome and I never left my car.

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[–] joekar1990 26 points 1 year ago

1, 2, & 3 have already been going on for a long time with public schools (immunization records) for the most part. The determined anti vax parents will just find a Dr who will sign a waiver for their child so they don't need to be vaccinated.

The problem is so much of anti vax today people will hunker down on their opinion of antivax no matter the truth or information presented to them. It's the same reason people are supporting trump so much still bc they think it "triggers" the opposition so much.

I'm not sure if there is a way to turn things around especially when you have multiple prominent media members questioning vaccines that is constantly being parroted.

At this point anything tried they'll cry about information being suppressed or why is the government trying so hard to do this must mean bad things.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 year ago

If enough people don't get the vaccine then a lot more then non vaccinated people will die.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Eventually even stupid people will notice or they’ll be dead.

Apparently you haven't been paying attention to this whole COVID deal? And to the other comments point you need to meet a threshold in the population for a vaccine to do what's intended.

[–] Nurse_Robot 6 points 1 year ago

Tbf, the majority of deaths were in red counties with far higher rates of antivaxers. The stupid people are dying at higher rates, but it's infuriating that they're taking smart people who are vaccine ineligible with them.

[–] LavaPlanet 5 points 1 year ago (9 children)

And regulate misinformation and disinformation, make social media culpable, they'll quickly change their tune if $ are at stake. The current model wants engagement, and click bait misinformation does wonders for that.

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[–] [email protected] 42 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Lies on social media kill people. I know of one guy who believed the lies and died of covid.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago

No he is still twitting

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[–] [email protected] 35 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The media: Here's 72 hours of conspiracy theorists and coverage about how some people are upset with medical experts.

Also the media: Why are anti-vax conspiracy theories getting so much attention? Here's why the people trying to fix the problem are at fault and why you should probably hate them.

Also also the media: Polls show people don't trust the person we blamed for everything.

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[–] joel_feila 21 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Of course the government can't do mych. In the eye of anti vaxxers the government is the problem. In fact any expert or authority will be distrusted because they are an expert or authority figure.

[–] Crashumbc 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

And you have an extremely large and trusted group GOP, actively discrediting vaccines every chance they get.

[–] A_Random_Idiot 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

While all being vaccinated, themselves.

A fact that their supporters gleefully ignore.

Hell, I heard something earlier in covid about hospitals and clincs setting up private back door entrances so antivaxers could get vaccinated without anyone knowing. Its ridiculous.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Maybe if the entire medical industry wasn't already shady and deplorable enough we wouldn't have these vaccine skeptics. The biden administration needs to focus on fixing the medical industry if they want these people to trust it.

[–] outrageousmatter 17 points 1 year ago

Nah, it's not that it's that one asshole who decided to write an article about how "Vaccines cause autism." That's how the whole anti-vaxxer movement came to be.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Except it has nothing to do with the medical industry being shady or not. The big recent hullaballoo started because Andrew Wakefield lied to everyone. But that largely only affected the crunchy New Age mom types at the time.

The big explosion of right wing idiots being anti-vaxxers simply has to do with Republican politicians and Fox News repeatedly claiming all scientists and experts on topics are lying (to make money somehow, despite that money never materializing). They started making such anti-science claims with climate change and just expanded it to everything else.

[–] A_Random_Idiot 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Fox News: "THE VACCINE IS A SCAM! VACCINES DONT WORK!"

Also Fox News: You can not enter this building unless your are vaccinated.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

And their hosts saying the vaccine is evil and will kill you, while all of them are fully vaccinated. I've even seen some of the hosts say they aren't vaccinated when discussing the topic, despite knowing they 100% are because Fox requires it.

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago

I find the phrasing throughout this highly annoying. It implies that the Biden admin is somehow at fault for 1) people misunderstanding the initial instructions, 2) using that and strawman to undermine that public confidence, and 3) then doubled down on the stupidity seemingly out of spite.

Simultaneously, these assholes sued and said that the admin over stepped by asking, strongly, for social media to stop overt lies from being spread on their platforms.

We always blame those trying for not succeeding and give a pass to the idiots operating in bad faith.

[–] Burn_The_Right 15 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I support conservatives in their personal choice to suffer and die.

[–] Treczoks 13 points 1 year ago

I don't really worry for me (I'm vaccinated), I just worry for those who cannot take the vaccine. Those who don't want to be protected from a potentially deadly disease, well, they can rot. No issues.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago (2 children)

In Australia, I'd suggest that anyone that isn't vaccinated and is hospitalised because of it should pay out of pocket and spare the tax payer. But as usual, they're all anti vax and anti science/medicine until they're dying then they're making a scene in the hospital demanding everyone's attention.

[–] Edgelord_Of_Tomorrow 9 points 1 year ago

In Australia we have significant consequences for being antivax.

You don't get the childcare subsidy, and good luck finding a childcare that will take your kids.

You can't work in healthcare, aged care, childcare and many other sectors and it's been validated in court that employers can dismiss employees who don't reasonably get vaccinated when required.

Additionally, during the pandemic antivaxxers were essentially excluded from pretty much all public life and the Australian public was perfectly content with that. The Australian population was 95% vaccinated at the peak, you can't get 90% of Australians to agree on anything, if 60% of the population supported not eating shit 40% of the population would start eating shit but we all agreed that antivaxxers can get fucked.

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[–] jcit878 11 points 1 year ago

eh I spent ages arguing with antivax cookers during the pandemic.

they are too stupid to reason with, but fun to tease them to ramble their stupid shit, they can't help but jump on their soapboxes.

but you never win. fuck em, let em die out

[–] FlyingSquid 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

We put Typhoid Mary on an island all by herself. If we do it to these fools, at least they'll have company. May I suggest Guantanamo Bay?

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