The alarming rise in conspiracy theories must be quashed quickly, in order for a future mass Covid-19 vaccination to be successful.
It might be tempting to see anti-lockdown, anti-5G, anti-mask and anti-vaxx demonstrations, like the one that took place last weekend in London, as little more than bluster from the fringes.
However, this would be misguided. Anti-vaxxers have long campaigned against the widespread use of vaccines, alleging them to be dangerous, destructive and damaging to childrens’ health, including allegations of causing children to be born autistic. Yet in the context of Covid-19, anti-vaxx content has gone well beyond skepticism and questioning the scientific basis of vaccines to straying into outright conspiracy theories and denial.