CDC Partners With ‘Social and Behavior Change’ Initiative to Silence Vaccine Hesitancy t.co/Uuudmk3XPQ
— Lyndsey, RN💙 (@HouseLyndsey) April 10, 2023
Dr. Mary Talley Bowden, a Stanford-educated ear, nose, and throat doctor, isn’t afraid to voice her beliefs. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, she repeatedly used her platform on Twitter and TikTok to question the vaccines, promote ivermectin as a treatment, and call out pharmacists for refusing to dispense it.
But her efforts resulted in significant backlash. On Nov. 7, 2021, Dr. Danielle Jones, an OBGYN who posts under the handle @MamaDoctorJones on YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter—and has millions of followers—put out a video accusing Bowden of “grifting,” rejecting science, and profiting from those who questioned the vaccine.
The video received thousands of comments, including from Team Halo members, Dr. Zachary Rubin, a pediatrician, and Christina Kim, an oncology nurse practitioner. Team Halo is a social media influencer campaign formed as part of the United Nations Verified initiative and the Vaccine Confidence Project to increase vaccine uptake.
“That doc is problematic,” Rubin wrote. Kim followed with, “Wow. That ‘doctor’ should have her license revoked.”
“DEFENDERS OF SCIENCE:” The biggest defenders of science did the most damage to it.
I know the pandemic is winding down when I see ‘science influencers,’ ‘debunkers’ and the ‘misinformation police’ return to focusing on issues that match their skill set: debunking vitamins, supplements, cupping, homeopathy, electric fields and other clearly unproven and implausible medical interventions. . . .
The science influencers came to our rescue, or so they believed. They knew that the CDC’s recommendations— under a Democratic president— were always correct when they advocated for interventions and restrictions, and only incorrect for not going further. Of course, we should mask toddlers— the only error the CDC made was not doing it sooner and longer. Of course, we should boost 16 year old men— even if they had COVID— and of course, they should get a bivalent booster— even if they had COVID again. Of course, schools should mandate vaccines. In fact, mandates would not be needed if it weren’t for anti-science grifters. If only we would all dutifully get all the doses, Lord Peter Marks advised, and take Paxlovid as Emperor Jha suggested, we would be better off (irrespective of age or prior infection).
Indeed, soft target ‘debunkers’ turned their criticism of alternative medicines into a remix of ‘the establishment is always right, and if anything, doesn’t go far enough’. It was no coincidence that this fell along lines of political preference (left wing), and among insular communities on social media. The debunkers were united in disparate beliefs: masks work and Elon Musk is bad. . . .
Add to this mix: growing political fanaticism. Trump indeed broke brains. Although he is not currently president, he remains the most discussed politician. As Sagar Enjeti recently said, ‘the Trump era began when he descended the escalator and will end only when he dies.’ Soft target debunkers largely oppose Trump, and some of their scientific beliefs are supported merely by the fact Trump said the opposite.
What happens when you pair mediocre scientists with political fanaticism and inject health policy decisions made by partisan administrations? The answer is chaos. The debunkers have no skillset to separate sound decisions from bad ones.
The way you defend sciences is by explaining, debating, and engaging with people who have different theories and hypotheses. Silencing and bullying isn’t the same.
RFK Jr. Explains How He Began Investigating the Vaccine Industry & Uncovered 'Agency Capture on Steroids'
"All of my conspiracy theories have about a 3 month shelf life before they become reality"@RobertKennedyJr @Hillsdale pic.twitter.com/4vHVm2mQFp
— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) April 9, 2023
h/t Glenn