Vaccines and Crying Wolf

Why aren’t people getting vaccinated for COVID? Misinformation and media echo chambers are part of the explanation, but there is also the low credibility of the public health authorities because of repeated dishonesty. First, they told us “masks don’t work.” That wasn’t true. Then they told us, “We will lock down for just two weeks to flatten the curve.” That wasn’t true. Then they told us that wearing the masks would eradicate the disease and end the pandemic. That wasn’t true. Then they told us that staying indoors would minimize the spread of the disease (e.g., California laws against going to parks and beaches). That wasn’t’ true. Then they told us that Texas was “neanderthal” for giving up its mask mandates and told us cases and deaths would spike in the coming weeks. That also wasn’t true. With so much crying wolf, is there any wonder that people don’t believe them now that the wolf is really here? Vaccines really do save lives and can end the pandemic, but repeated dishonesty from those telling us to get vaccines have cost them their credibility. Credulity on team read and deception on team blue are jointly responsible for persistent COVID deaths.