Do you consider vaccination to be a controversial topic? IRL

chanchy123

Mon, Jul 13 2020, 8:16 am

I was discussing the Coronavirus with a neighbor who is sceptic the virus. She said, well coronavirus is controversial just like vaccinations are. My reaction was that vaccination isn’t controversial among people I know from outside my small town. None of my family members, coworkers, friends growing up, etc consider vaccination controversial. I do know that online, here and on Facebook and other social media outlets the topic can be very heated and there are entire forums set up to doubt the science behind vaccination.
I’m specially asking about your real life environment, do people in your real life outside the I Internet consider this a controversial topic? If so, do you consider Coronavirus controversial (as in, part of an elaborate plan by the powers that be to control the masses).

Success10

Mon, Jul 13 2020, 8:24 am

I think on Imamother I'm much more likely to get into a heated argument with antivaxxers, whereas in real life, I don't want to fight with my friends, so we just kind of agree to disagree, each think the other one is crazy and move on.

I don't think Corona is controversial on the same level as vaxes. And I don't know anyone who genuinely believes that Corona is a master conspiracy theory. Maybe lab-made, but certainly not released on purpose.

giselle

Mon, Jul 13 2020, 8:28 am

In real life, vaccines are not controversial because none of my friends are anti vaxxers. The closest person I can think of is my son’s close friend’s mom whom I’m friendly with, but honestly she seems to have gone off her rocker, so I don’t really see the point of having a conversation with her about it. It doesn’t feel like something that is up for debate to me. Any time I’ve had a conversation about it in real life, we’ve all been on the same side.

Which part of coronavirus is controversial? The only thing I see as controversial is how careful we should be about it, which yes many around me have varied opinions that are constantly changing (including mine). We just always come down to the same conclusion that there’s so much we don’t know about it.

chanchy123

Mon, Jul 13 2020, 8:34 am

giselle wrote:

Apparently, some of my neighbors (more than some) believe that the virus is an excuse for the elites (she actually used the term New World Order) to control the masses, I’m not even talking about the different measures and restrictions such as masks SD and lockdowns.

ShishKabob

Mon, Jul 13 2020, 8:39 am

I have real life experience with this. And I find it yes, it's very controversial especially if you are discussing it with anti vaccrs and there are plenty of those in my life. So for me the answer is a resounding YES.

jerusalem90

Mon, Jul 13 2020, 8:41 am

Yes, definitely controversial. I am generally pro-vaccine, but would not give a Covid vaccine that had serious side effects. I'd prefer my kids not get Covid, but it would depend entirely how risky the vaccine is.

I understand both pro and anti-vaxxers.

keym

Mon, Jul 13 2020, 8:45 am

ShishKabob wrote:

Is it the same people who are antivax and Corona Skeptical?

I know a few who are Corona Skeptical. I mean skeptical in April. Believe that it's just a flu, but hospitals took it as an excuse to physically murder patients. Not those who debate whether we should open now.

But those who are Corona Skeptical tend to shock me because they are pro-med and not antivax at all.

ShishKabob

Mon, Jul 13 2020, 8:47 am

keym wrote:

No, it's not necessarily the same people. Many people that do vaccinate are showing to be Corona skeptical. So I, would say it doesn't equal anti vaxx anti Corona. You're right.

chanchy123

Mon, Jul 13 2020, 8:52 am

keym wrote:

Take into consideration that I live in Israel, or situation is like a few days after Purim in NY, most people don’t personally know anyone who is seriously ill with the virus. I’m not taking about operative measures, but the “flu with PR” kind of people, who literally have told me is an excuse for governments to infringe on civil rights.
I’m not talking about people who are sceptical of the corona vaccine, but those who consider vaccination controversial, one of those things there are sort of in a gray area and are not scientifically proven.

ora_43

Mon, Jul 13 2020, 9:30 am

Nope, not even remotely.

What precautions to take around coronavirus is a bit controversial. But nobody I've spoken to IRL doubts that the virus exists, that it spreads quickly, that most people who get it are OK, but that for some it's extremely dangerous. Nobody thinks the hospitalizations and deaths are fake news. So overall I wouldn't say that's controversial either.

ShishKabob

Mon, Jul 13 2020, 9:35 am

I have people in my life that thing the whole virus thing is a conspiracy derived from the people that want a world order and other such things. They go on and on about it and have multiple proofs to prove that their thinking is accurate.

moonstone

Mon, Jul 13 2020, 9:50 am

Amarante wrote:

Not controversial to me because I don't know anti-vaxxers - or if they are anti-vaxxer, they aren't stupid enough to tell me they are LOL

Same here!

ora_43

Mon, Jul 13 2020, 11:31 am

chanchy123 wrote:

I think some people want to see it as controversial, because that makes their position sound more reasonable. Instead of "I disagree with what most people think, including the overwhelming majority of experts in the field" it becomes "there are so many opinions out there, who even knows?"