Despite the success of the vaccine rollout, online forums seeped with propaganda have spread misinformation and fuelled differing opinions between younger and older people about the vaccine.
Firstly, I interviewed some peers to find out what they thought about vaccines.
Lucy R.
“I will 100% get the vaccine if I have the opportunity to. I know that some people have concerns about the potential side effects but ultimately I think it will be worth it.”
Tanita J.
“I intend to get a vaccine as soon as it is possible for me to do so.”
Inanna S.
“Everyone should get the vaccine because it is a scientific phenomenon. We should honour the contributions of the scientific community.”
Sophie L.
“Vaccines are a very helpful way to improve our lives in the long run. Despite fears about blood clots and other risks I think that the vaccines are the only way for us to get out of the lockdown cycle.“
So, young people generally view the vaccine positively, understanding its long-term benefits as a way out of the pandemic and trusting the science behind it.
But, what about the older generation?
I then spoke with older relatives who informed me about the dangers of misinformation on social media and how easy it is to succumb to their messaging.
The ease with which pernicious accounts and posts are able to widely circulate online is extraordinary in the modern age. Facebook, it seems, is especially a hotbed of scandalous and unsupported claims.
Amid innocent posts of family outings and status updates, Facebook’s users - typically of older age - easily stumble upon unfounded claims about the dangers of the vaccine. It is not an issue to be curious about scientific developments, however, these posts hyperbolise any and all potential threats and in doing so can put their thousands of viewers and their families at great risk.
The web acts as a microcosm of our society so it is no coincidence that vaccine skepticism is concentrated in certain pockets and communities.
To combat the vaccination gap, young people and those who are aware of the true science behind the vaccine need to deconstruct the skeptical narrative if we see or hear our friends and family members regurgitating it. It is only through communication and active awareness of the media we consume that we can dampen the power of these misleading posts.
