Jefe in the CO wrote:
I think a lot of the reticence by the antivaxxers was created by the dearth of information about therapeutics, self care, or even alternative measures one could take. From the very beginning it was sit around and wait for vaccines, even though the initial messaging was that vaccines would not be available for 2 years or so and that developing a coronavirus vaccine was notoriously difficult to achieve. When the vaccine rolled out in half that time, more skepticism was generated. I actually think the messaging would have been more successful if we changed the terminology from vaccine to immunization or some other similar attempt.
Yes, antivaxxers would prefer that there was some magic plant root or expensive homeopathic supplement you could take that would work just as well as a vaccine. It never existed, though, and there really wasn't justification to get upset over that.
The reason there was not information about therapeutics or 'alternative measures' is that there was nothing that worked. However, there was a ton misinformation spread about random supplements, comically overhyped drug repurposing efforts (HCQ, IVM), and other things. The fact that mainstream science denigrated these things is a good -- they don't work -- and certainly not an excuse for antivaxxers to throw a tantrum and kill 300k Americans by spreading misinformation and propaganda.
