Announcements about the approval and roll-out of Covid-19 vaccinations in late 2020 were greeted with jubilation in many quarters, but polling showed that around one third of Britons would consider refusing the vaccine. False stories and suspicions about the safety and the efficacy of the vaccines, as well as the motivations of those who have produced them, continue to proliferate. Vaccine hesitancy is a real threat to our public health and scientific literacy.
As humanists, it is important that we advocate for science and evidence-based decision-making around vaccinations. But is it possible to approach others with compassion and empathy, while recognising the damage that not taking vaccines can have? What can we do to improve the discourse around Covid-19 vaccinations and science more generally?
In this video, Young Humanists members hear from experienced campaigners and communicators on the best ways to discuss the science behind vaccinations, combat fake news, and engage positively with those we disagree with.
