{%hackmd GHtBRFZdTV-X1g8ex-NMQg %} The COVID-19 Vaccine Development Process ..and why you should not worry about it Many people understand the need for a COVID-19 vaccine but have concerns about its safety and effectiveness due to the rapid development of the vaccine and the use of relatively novel mRNA technology. ::: info You can read more about mRNA technology and why it is safe on our dedicated COVID-19 vaccine fact page. :::
12/1/2022{%hackmd GHtBRFZdTV-X1g8ex-NMQg %} [TOC] I am not in danger of COVID-19... or am I? Overview Some people believe that COVID-19 harms only the old or sick, and that healthy, young people are not really in danger of getting sick from it. Although younger people are less at risk than others, this belief is inaccurate and highlights the mismatch between objective risk and subjective risk beliefs. It can also be problematic if it leads to risky behaviors, such as vaccination freeriding or reckless behaviours such as disregarding social distancing and mask wearing (Siegrist & Bearth, 2021). A lower perception of the risks of disease is also associated with lower COVID-19 vaccination intention (Maftei & Holman, 2021). To better understand inaccurate risk beliefs, it will help to disentangle the different potential meanings of not being "at risk." COVID-19 risk has many possible meanings that include:
11/23/2022{%hackmd GHtBRFZdTV-X1g8ex-NMQg %} Muslim History and Contributions to Science and Why it Matters :::success This piece by Dr Shamaila Anwar looks at vaccine hesitancy among ethnic minority communities from the lens of systemic discrimination that has led to the historical scientific achievements of these communities being obscured. It highlights the importance of education as key to breaking this cycle of discrimination. Empowerment of communities through their histories is an important part of this. As we become more aware of inequalities as a society, we should also recognise that names of Muslim scholars like Ibn Sina and Al Razi should be synonymous with Edward Jenner and James Lynd. Scientific knowledge that enables medical progress such as vaccination has a long history in many communities and this should celebrated. For more about cultural differences in vaccine uptake, see our page here. ::: [TOC]
11/23/2022{%hackmd GHtBRFZdTV-X1g8ex-NMQg %} Nudging Flattening the curve of the "infodemic" Although it is possible to correct misinformation, as we have shown in the COVID-19 Vaccine Communication Handbook, the Debunking Handbook 2020, and the Conspiracy Theory Handbook, this may not be sufficient to stop disinformation from gathering speed, particularly if it is disseminated by highly motivated people for political reasons. (Our page on the politics of COVID-19 disinformation explains this is in more detail.) We must therefore look for additional ways in which we can “flatten the curve of the infodemic, so that bad information can’t spread as far and as fast” (Ball and Maxmen, 2020). Two of those options are nudges and boosts. What are nudges? Nudges are ways to use the context in which a decision takes place to systematically affect these decisions. For example, employees at Google have access to free food and drink at work. Healthy options, such as sparkling water, are more visible and easier to access than less healthy options, such as sugary drinks. Together with a number of other nudges, Google successfully shifted employees' consumption towards healthier options.
11/23/2022