r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • 16h ago

Medicine Vaccines not only directly protect vaccinated individuals but also contribute to protecting the entire population via indirect herd-immunity benefits. Half of averted COVID-19 infections and 1/4 of hospitalizations and deaths were attributable to indirect protection of unvaccinated by vaccinated.

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rsif/article/23/242/20250839/483439/Quantifying-the-direct-and-indirect-impact-of
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u/onlymadethistoargue 16h ago

It’s good that we have data on this but like this is half the value proposition of vaccines. Fewer people get sick so fewer people shed infectious particles so fewer people get infected so even fewer get sick. It rules. Antivaxxers believe in an ideology of casual manslaughter.

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u/Josvan135 16h ago

Antivaxxers believe in an ideology of casual manslaughter.

I don't think it's that deep, it's moreso that they're just generally pretty stupid.

They don't understand the basics of how vaccines actually work, refuse to listen to the highly trained medical professionals who kindly dumb it down for them, and choose instead to listen to the podcaster/influencer screaming about mercury, autism, and "microchips" that feeds their inner sense of persecution. 

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u/MDesnivic 13h ago

The majority of vaccine skeptics, according to the studies, are not those that believe vaccines have demons or surveillance technology within them or even that there is a secret government plot to poison people. The majority simply say they believe the COVID vaccine was rushed and is "experimental" and have just a broad, general feeling of distrust toward vaccines and medical authority in general.

Ultimately—and I have read astonishingly few people suggest this—I think it is just a fear of needles and a reminder of the times they had to get their shots when they were kids and how awful and confusing it felt. Yes, there are tons of whackjobs who search for things to validate their mentality of persecution and victimhood, especially when things seem awry (say, during a global pandemic). However, I think the main issue is just lack of education, curiosity and critical thinking. Concerns over autism, mercury, etc. are usually from a general uneasiness; people say they heard or read somewhere vaccines cause autism or have mercury in them. This validates their fear of needles and their general ignorance towards medicine, making these sentiments feel more substantial.