A Vaccine, Three Presidents, and Ending the Pandemic
By: Bashar Salame
Tags: Health, USA, Politics, Covid 19, Vaccines

Public distrust in government institutions and the pharmaceutical industry is high enough to where we need stunts.

For those skeptical, hesitant, or worried about taking the Coronavirus vaccine, three former presidents are here for reassurance.

According to CNBC; Former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton have said they will take a coronavirus vaccine once one is available, and may film it to build confidence in the U.S. about vaccine safety.

Why is this necessary you may ask? Recent polls on the mood of the country when it comes to vaccines provide insight.

Let’s look at the numbers

A Harris Poll survey in the summer of 2019, before the current pandemic, of 2,000 U.S adults revealed the following: Of those polled, 45 percent noted at least one source that caused doubts about the safety of vaccination. The top three doubt-causing sources were online articles (16 percent), past secrets/wrongdoing by the pharmaceutical industry (16 percent) and information from medical experts (12 percent).

The survey also asked Americans to choose a statement that best represented their feelings about vaccine safety and efficacy. While the vast majority (82 percent) chose in favor of vaccines, 8 percent selected responses expressing serious doubt. An additional 9 percent said they were unsure.

More recently (August 7th 2020), Gallup found 61% of Americans willing to receive a Coronavirus vaccine; this even if the vaccine was both free and FDA approved. Americans were evenly split when surveyed in September; with the most recent poll in November showing 58% in favor of being vaccinated.

These are important numbers to consider. According to Dr. Moncef Slaoui, the chief scientific adviser for Operation Warp Speed, it is possible the United States could reach herd immunity by May 2021. To do so would require immunizing 70–80% of the population, not 58 or 60%.

That’s where three former presidents come in. They, and likely everyone within government and healthcare circles, hope to build public trust in this process.

Pfizer and Moderna, both of whom are leading in providing vaccines which are over 90% effective, have applied for FDA approval. Their trials are in no way small, Pfizer having studied over 40,000 patients and Moderna over 30,000.

With such large study groups, no severe adverse reactions to date, and a vaccine with an extremely high efficacy rate, you wouldn’t think former presidents are needed to increase public confidence. But, here we are.

Why the lack of trust?

When Gallup asked those opposed to being vaccinated, for their reasons why they would forgo a Coronavirus vaccine; 37% cite the rushed timeline for development, 26% want to wait to confirm the vaccine is safe. Both of which are understandable; having a vaccine in less than a year breaks the previous record of four years for Mumps.

Here’s where things get interesting; 12% don’t trust vaccines in general, 10% want to wait to see how effective the vaccine will be, and 15% had other reasons.

Vaccine resistance isn’t new

Such resistance is not unprecedented. When Gallup asked U.S. adults in 1954, who had heard or read about the then-new polio vaccine, “Would you like to take this new polio vaccine (to keep people from getting polio) yourself?” just 60% said they would, while 31% said they would not.

It was The March of Dimes, a non-profit founded by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1938, as the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis to combat polio which made all the difference then.

Due to waining trust in government and other institutions, a public relations campaign is likely needed now. Will three former presidents, taking a vaccine live on air, be enough to push vaccination rates well over the 70 or 80% mark?

Only time will tell.

When the vaccines are distributed, it will be front-line workers, doctors, nurses, etc. who receive the first doses. Assurances and encouragement from them would likely go a long way in convincing a skeptical public.

Trust in them is likely higher than any current, or former government officials.