There are many obstacles to developing a usable coronavirus vaccine: it must be shown to be safe and effective, and there are lingering questions about how long the immunity will last.
On Saturday, The New York Times He reported another problem: Even if researchers develop a safe, usable vaccine that confers long-term immunity to COVID-19, a large contingent of “antivaxxers” may still refuse to protect themselves, giving the virus a reservoir that can trigger new periodic outbreaks.
“A survey conducted in May by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that only half of Americans said they would be willing to receive a coronavirus vaccine,” Jan Hoffman reported. “One in five said they would decline and 31 percent were uncertain. A survey conducted in late June by researchers at the University of Miami found that 22 percent of white and Latino respondents and 42 percent of those Black respondents said they agreed with this statement: ‘Coronavirus is being used to force a dangerous and unnecessary vaccine on Americans.’ ”
“Our phones are ringing with people saying, ‘I’ve gotten all the shots, but I’m not getting this one. How do I exclude myself? ‘”Said Jackie Schlegel, who founded Texans for Vaccine Choice. According to the report, he said he must often tell callers, “They don’t come to his house to force him.”
The “anti-vax” movement has persisted under the surface of American culture for years, with many people selling conspiracy theories about ingredients in vaccines, and some promoting a discredited idea linking them to autism. Some highly infectious diseases, such as measles, require more than 95 percent compliance with the vaccine to achieve “collective immunity,” meaning that even a small increase in people who refuse to vaccinate can trigger outbreaks of preventable diseases.
Although scientists lack complete data on its spread patterns, COVID-19 is believed to be an extremely contagious disease that spreads without symptoms, so compliance with the vaccine is likely to be too high to keep it at bay.
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