The Covid pandemic has created a divide around the world. Essentially, there are four main categories of people that have surfaced: mandatory vaxxers, hestitant vaxxers, no-vaxxers, and the anti-vaxxers. Of the four, the mandatory vaxxers and the anti-vaxxers are controlling the narratives about the Covid pandemic. These two groups are intolerant of others who disagree with them.
The mandatory vaxxers belief that everyone, except for those who qualify for exemptions, should be vaccinated. However, it is the mandatory vaxxers who determine who should be vaccinated. This group includes many in the medical field, the scientific realm, and the government sphere. Because of this group’s credentials, the general population of society follows their direction because people have faith that this group has the experts. The group states that it is following the science, unlike all other groups. Many of the mandatory vaxxers are demeaning and condescending to anyone who disagrees with them. Many of the mandatory vaxxers call those who disagree with them as ignorant, misinformed, passers of false information, and selfish.
At the other end of the spectrum, the anit-vaxxers are vehement toward others that oppose them. They are deeply suspicious of the mandatory vaxxers. Many of them are people who hold onto conspiracy theories that governments around the world are seeking to put citizens under greater control. The governments, many believe, are attempting to take away civil liberties. They argue that the vaccines are an experiment on humanity. Some believe that the political establishments are inoculating populations so that they can be under surveillance. The anti-vaxxers argue that the people don’t know the truth and are blindly following the mandatory vaxxers who are deceitful, manipulative, and controlling the masses.
The hesitant vaxxers are sitting on the fence but are caught in the middle. They realize that there is a pandemic, it it is serious, people are getting sick, and many are dying. However, they are not sure how effective and safe the vaccines will be over the long term. They are concerned that not enough research has gone into the vaccines. They question how quickly the vaccines have been developed. If the vaccines are safe, many hesitant vaxxers ask, “Why were all of the vaccines being used under emergency measures, and not approved by agencies such as the FDA or CDC?” If they were entirely safe, the hesitant vaxxers questioned, why weren’t the vaccines approved by these agencies? They have other questions: What are the vaccines’ outcomes over five years, ten years, fifteen year, and more? The hesitant vaxxers are not sure if the vaccines are safe and whether they have met the standards to be used. They would like the time to analyze the situation and determine if the vaccines will be beneficial over the short term and long term. However, the mandatory vaxxers and anti-vaxxers have been discrediting them for being hesitant as both sides hope to persuade the hesitant to their respective side.
The no-vaxxers are a conundrum for both the mandatory vaxxers and the anti-vaxxers. The no-vaxxers are pro-choice. In some ways, they resemble the hesitant vaxxers. Like the hestitant vaxxers, the no-vaxxers aren’t rushing out to get vaccinated. However, there is one main difference. Some hesitant vaxxers are afraid to get vaccinated; some are afraid to not get vaccinated but are not sure if it is safe; and some require more evidence. In contrast, the no-vaxxers are well informed; they have considered the evidence; they have weighed the evidence; they understand why one should get vaccinated and why one shouldn’t get vaccinated. Weighing the information and the evidence, the no-vaxxers have decided that they don’t want to take the vaccine; however, they believe in pro-choice: people can choose to take the vaccine, or people can choose to not take the vaccine. In either case, whichever decision they make, non-vaxxers believe that society and governments should not shame them, or consequence them for their decisions. Non-vaxxers believe that people should be respected for their decisions, without draconian consequences.
Unfortunately, it’s the mandatory-vaxxers, and the anti-vaxxers, polemically the opposite of each other, who have attempted to control the pandemic and vaccine narratives. The mandatory and anti-vaxxers are responsible for societal divisiveness. The mandatory vaxxers include many who are health officials, scientists, politicians, and government agencies; however, most of them are from other walks of life who have sided with the groups previously mentioned because they are the supposed experts. The anti-vaxxers are part of a culture group that adheres to conspiracy theories, suspicions, and a beliefs that the establishment is concealing the truth, and being deceitful. Both sides are responsible for misinformation. Meanwhile, both the hesitant vaxxers and the non-vaxxers’ narratives are unheard, stifled, and oppressed. Perhaps, these two groups can help to end the intolerance and divisiveness of the two polemical groups that have controlled the narratives. But will the two polar opposites listen, hear and understand?