A talk on vaccination (and global inequality)

A government ad that was doing the rounds a couple of days ago looked severely click-baity: "vax for victory, ten winners will be selected… to win cash prizes of $1.5 million each, totaling $15 million!" It was not a "Nigerian prince" style scam, it was just the California government doing a lottery to encourage its residents to get their COVID-19 vaccine shots. OK. There is a lot to unpack here.

This was actually just one among many unusual policies created by governments around the world, but especially in the United States, from retail discounts, credit for grocery shopping, exotic travel, to prizes worth millions - all in the name of the national effort to immunize their populations. California alone has set aside $116.5 million for its vaccination incentive program. It looks like a good day to be an immunized Californian. 

The disparity though should be contemplated: while parts of the US need to give cash prizes in exchange for immunization, countries around the world are yet to receive their first vaccines.

According to a May report by the World Health Organization: “Delays and shortages of vaccine supplies are driving African countries to slip further behind the rest of the world in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and the continent now accounts for only 1% of the vaccines administered worldwide."

With bad distribution systems, lack of financial resources to obtain the vaccines, little incentive from the federal government for a broad immunization campaign, some countries find themselves left behind in the vaccine race, which will inevitably impact their economy and their population's mental health. With no end to the pandemic on sight, the continued uncertainty offered by the lack of immunization in poorer countries will inevitably intensify global inequality.

Taking into account the crises created by lack of vaccines in the global South, a million-dollar contest hosted by the country most able to buy vaccines is somewhat insulting for  those still waiting for their turn. I don’t mean to oppose programs that encourage vaccination… These programs are the ones that most need attention, visibility and financial resources. Lotteries just cannot be the only pro-vaccine public policy around.

A lottery-ish scheme to encourage a civic attitude of protection and care for fellow countrymen treats the symptoms (lack of people opting to get vaccinated) but not the disease (an epidemic-size lack of empathy and collective action for change).  There seems to be no logic behind not taking a vaccine that will protect you and your loved ones. But logic, even a strange and absurd one, is not what is lacking in hundreds of thousands of people around the world who call themselves antivax. 

In fact, these groups are highly structured and surprisingly good at controlling the narrative. They have a great presence in social networks, managing to disseminate an incalculable amount of unscientific information in the form of fake news. Cloaked as defenders of freedom and against "the system", groups like this have been growing in the COVID-19 pandemic. With them, a clear proposal: not only to deny the vaccine, but the virus as well. Those who are anti-vaccination go to the streets to preach speeches  wrapped in the idea of freedom of expression. That being their main argument for making it seem criminal to restrict actions that can lead to death. A cancelled concert or a rally suddenly becomes a staple of authoritarianism.

Although anti-vaxers are not exclusively right-wing, denialism , depoliticization, and the demonization of the vaccine has been frequently mobilized by right-wing conservatives. Self-defined free speech advocates, champions of the people, anti-system, big media fighters have co-opted crowds through a discourse of “freedom over tyranny” while pro-vaccine groups have been offering a narrative of… cash prizes?

The anti-vax movement formed by layers of disinformation mixes reality and fiction in its creation process, surfing the conservative waves produced by hapless presidential figures like Donald Trump, with the anti-vaccination movement outliving these individuals' own mandates. 99% of recent fatalities from COVID-19 in the United States were from people who did not get the vaccine, which demonstrates the power and reach of denial movements.

Some  kind of hesitation in the general population with the vaccine was already expected, of course, especially considering the context of social instability we went through in this crisis and  a large level of distrust of people who could never count on the system to help them. This is exactly where the anti-vaccine ideology works, increasing distrust in institutions and highlighting individual concerns over public safety.

Although anti-vax ideology has been prominently featured among concerned specific first-time moms forums, conservative and right-wing seem to be key elements to comprehend and trace the origins of this group. According to data published in The Economist, the states with the lowest vaccination rates are the states where Donald Trump won in this last election. According to the Economist, in Tennessee (where Trump won 61% of the vote)  43% took the first dose of the vaccine. In other more divided states like Ohio, 48% took the first shot . In more conservative places, such as  Ohio County, the rates drop sharply, reaching 83% of votes in favor of Trump compared to 15% of people taking their first dose. 

The conservative republican thoughts mixes with this anti-vax broth and pour poison in the form of misinformation and fake news for the North American population, making it necessary alongside millionaire efforts (such as a "lottery-ish" system) educational measures to incite a collective spirit. Convincing the population to adopt the vaccine as a way to protect themselves and their loved ones, is a practice of necessary collectivism amidst an individualistic nation. Educational policies on the subject would be not only an act of prophylaxis against Covid-19 but also against dangerous amounts of individualism. In a world that faces climate change, multiple refugee crises, future pandemics on sight and increasing inequality, making the population more prone to collective undertakings is a matter of public safety.

It is necessary to adopt measures that dialogue with those who are hesitant, convincing key figures, such as community and religious leaders to work for vaccination, not against it. Writing narratives that describe the terror of vaccination shortages in the global South, framing Americans as a nation able to lead immunization efforts nationally and internationally, is a necessary measure. For the world to be completely immunized against the virus, it is up to educators and governments to first immunize others against misinformation.