The partisan divide on vaccine falsehoods threatens the health of children nationwide.

Public sentiment on the importance of safe, lifesaving childhood vaccines has significantly declined in the US since the pandemic—which appears to be solely due to a nosedive in support from people who are Republican or those who lean Republican, according to new polling data from Gallup.

In 2019, 52 percent of Republican-aligned Americans said it was “extremely important” for parents to get their children vaccinated. Now, that figure is 26 percent, falling by half in just five years. In comparison, 63 percent of Democrats and Democratic leaners said it was “extremely important” this year, down slightly from 67 percent in 2019.

  • Rapidcreek@lemmy.world
    23·
    5 months ago

    Recently at a doctors visit, this came up. We were discussing the use of AI to design vaccines. Doctor said that it didn’t make any difference because people like his staff nurses wouldn’t take a vaccine in any case. I was shocked. So, he opened the door and asked his nurses. Sure enough, not one nof them would take a new vaccine. I still can’t believe it.

    • stoly@lemmy.world
      16·
      5 months ago

      Lockdown taught me that most nurses receive an inadequate education. There were big antivax nursing groups 3 years ago.

    • JusticeForPorygon@lemmy.world
      13·
      5 months ago

      My mother has worked in healthcare most of her life and it’s always blown my mind how many people she’s worked with are anti-vax.

      • ReallyActuallyFrankenstein@lemmynsfw.comEnglish
        5·
        5 months ago

        It helps to think of healthcare as just another business in the US.

        It’s become such a huge industry. People aren’t necessarily there because they believe in the science, but because of all the typical mundane reasons to get any job - stability, income, prestige or appearance of status.

        But yes, it’s crazy.

    • Persen@lemmy.world
      04·
      5 months ago

      Well, to be fair, recently released vaccines are fairly untested, but it’s mostly fine, so I wouldn’t worry about it too much.

      • Rapidcreek@lemmy.world
        3·
        5 months ago

        I suppose this falsehood started with the Covid 19 Vaccine. In early January 2020, labs received the first computerized model of the Covid virus. Due to the current level of science, and smart people, the vaccine was finished in six days. The rest of the year was taken in testing for FDA approval until it was made publicly available in December of 2020. It was well tested.