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Trust in government healthcare and COVID

SomeRandom

Still learning to be wise
Staff member
Premium Member
I’ve been mulling this over for a while now.
In the US the COVID vaccine has seemingly become a political issue.
I won’t pretend to understand the nuances of that situation, but it is what it is.
And whilst that certainly can happen elsewhere (and likely has) I have to wonder how much of that is influenced by the healthcare system.
For example in Britain the NHS is fairly well trusted by the public. Sure there are anti vaxx types but if they say, hey get a vaccine, it usually doesn’t become a political issue. Same here. Even if there are side affects the worst I think is “oh, if worse comes to worse I guess I’ll be in the hospital a little bit.” But I just shrug that off as a necessary evil in life. I don’t pay for my hospital visits or doctor consults. I just go in and get treatment.
But if someone is uninsured in America I can imagine such a situation is beyond frightening. Will it bankrupt them? Trust in pharmaceutical companies is beyond low and the system is so for profit I don’t really blame someone for thinking that.
Such a concern is a uniquely American problem. So I wonder if that can be an underlying cause to opt out of the vaccines right now? In the US specifically. And maybe that’s where it’s sort of “lost in translation” for me.
 

PoetPhilosopher

Veteran Member
I have my doubts that's the cause. It seems the government, insurance companies, and organizations, are all kind of pitching in to make covid vaccines free or near-free, at least in my town. There was even an article about Biden wanting to get people paid $100 to take it.

I think it's more fear, both fear caused by the previous administration and an inexact message on the subject, and fear of the side effects.
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
I’ve been mulling this over for a while now.
In the US the COVID vaccine has seemingly become a political issue.
I won’t pretend to understand the nuances of that situation, but it is what it is.
And whilst that certainly can happen elsewhere (and likely has) I have to wonder how much of that is influenced by the healthcare system.
For example in Britain the NHS is fairly well trusted by the public. Sure there are anti vaxx types but if they say, hey get a vaccine, it usually doesn’t become a political issue. Same here. Even if there are side affects the worst I think is “oh, if worse comes to worse I guess I’ll be in the hospital a little bit.” But I just shrug that off as a necessary evil in life. I don’t pay for my hospital visits or doctor consults. I just go in and get treatment.
But if someone is uninsured in America I can imagine such a situation is beyond frightening. Will it bankrupt them? Trust in pharmaceutical companies is beyond low and the system is so for profit I don’t really blame someone for thinking that.
Such a concern is a uniquely American problem. So I wonder if that can be an underlying cause to opt out of the vaccines right now? In the US specifically. And maybe that’s where it’s sort of “lost in translation” for me.

I always considered the anti vaxxers in America either political or religious, I've never considering money issues. I'm from the UK and living in France, both with excellent health care systems so I've never seriously thought finance could be a limit to staying healthy. But now you mention is, yes, you have an excellent point, one i will add to politics and religion.
 

We Never Know

No Slack
I’ve been mulling this over for a while now.
In the US the COVID vaccine has seemingly become a political issue.
I won’t pretend to understand the nuances of that situation, but it is what it is.
And whilst that certainly can happen elsewhere (and likely has) I have to wonder how much of that is influenced by the healthcare system.
For example in Britain the NHS is fairly well trusted by the public. Sure there are anti vaxx types but if they say, hey get a vaccine, it usually doesn’t become a political issue. Same here. Even if there are side affects the worst I think is “oh, if worse comes to worse I guess I’ll be in the hospital a little bit.” But I just shrug that off as a necessary evil in life. I don’t pay for my hospital visits or doctor consults. I just go in and get treatment.
But if someone is uninsured in America I can imagine such a situation is beyond frightening. Will it bankrupt them? Trust in pharmaceutical companies is beyond low and the system is so for profit I don’t really blame someone for thinking that.
Such a concern is a uniquely American problem. So I wonder if that can be an underlying cause to opt out of the vaccines right now? In the US specifically. And maybe that’s where it’s sort of “lost in translation” for me.

I don't trust our government with much of anything. Sadly I cant change that.

Many times when an uninsured person goes in for medical care that cant afford it, the state or giverment(government) will reimburse the hospital/medical facility an $XX amount of money.

However social media has just as big of an impact on people as anything. I can change that. Now yes I know RF is social media but I feel it isn't full of as many conspiracy people as Twitter and facebook(which I shut those two down back in February).

Sadly many times the best we can do is to do our own research, do some reasoning, some deducting and decide from there.
 

mikkel_the_dane

My own religion
I always considered the anti vaxxers in America either political or religious, I've never considering money issues. I'm from the UK and living in France, both with excellent health care systems so I've never seriously thought finance could be a limit to staying healthy. But now you mention is, yes, you have an excellent point, one i will add to politics and religion.

It seems it is about the following categories of people.
  • Conspiracies..
  • Anti-vaxxers, can be found on both sides.
  • Different political views.
  • Religion.
  • Age.
  • Cultural mistrust, Black and Hispanics.
  • Inability to get the vaccine and even able to get leave for being sick with evt. side effects.
  • Combinations of the above.
  • Maybe more.
 

We Never Know

No Slack
I always considered the anti vaxxers in America either political or religious, I've never considering money issues. I'm from the UK and living in France, both with excellent health care systems so I've never seriously thought finance could be a limit to staying healthy. But now you mention is, yes, you have an excellent point, one i will add to politics and religion.

"I always considered the anti vaxxers in America either political or religious"

What do you consider them in France, the UK, elsewhere?
 

SomeRandom

Still learning to be wise
Staff member
Premium Member
I always considered the anti vaxxers in America either political or religious, I've never considering money issues. I'm from the UK and living in France, both with excellent health care systems so I've never seriously thought finance could be a limit to staying healthy. But now you mention is, yes, you have an excellent point, one i will add to politics and religion.
I’ve always regarded the anti vaxx movement as an American phenomenon too. But I have sadly met a couple anti vaxxers here. Maybe it’s just not as prominent outside the US. I dunno
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
I’ve always regarded the anti vaxx movement as an American phenomenon too. But I have sadly met a couple anti vaxxers here. Maybe it’s just not as prominent outside the US. I dunno

Yes, here in france there is considerable resistance to the covid jab. Mostly from tje far right for some reason.
 

mikkel_the_dane

My own religion
But not far left?

Well, I will be honest. I haven't looked that closely, but the claim seems to be that the government has no right to limit my individual freedom. In this version I take it to be far fight.
You can also find far left arguments, but I haven't encountered them in the main stream media as mentioned as reasons for the protests.
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
So the far right(or left) isn't just an American problem then?

Oh no it's not. In the UK have had far right flexing its muscles since before Boris was elected. His appointment is a consequence of the far right backlash, as is brexit.

In france we have Le Pen, who didn't make it last election but she has been remodeling her party to attract more voters for next time round. I am dreading it if she becomes president, we may have to move countries.
 

exchemist

Veteran Member
"I always considered the anti vaxxers in America either political or religious"

What do you consider them in France, the UK, elsewhere?
In the UK the - very few - antivaxxers are a hotchpotch of health cranks and people with paranoid fringe political views, e.g. Piers Corbyn and people who believe in conspiracies involving Bill Gates and 5G telecoms masts. I suppose there will be a few religious cranks as well.

There is another category of people who are not anti-vax as such but are "vaccine-hesitant". This includes ethnic sub-groups, including some blacks and muslims, that have historical reasons, or reasons based on local rumours, to be a bit distrustful and in need of reassurance. The NHS now runs programmes of involving local community leaders and influencers to help overcome this hesitancy.

But in the UK you really are a far-out crank if you are a principled antivaxxer. Whereas in the US, it seems to be mainstream - and apparently for many a badge of political loyalty.
 

We Never Know

No Slack
In the UK the - very few - antivaxxers are a hotchpotch of health cranks and people with paranoid fringe political views, e.g. Piers Corbyn and people who believe in conspiracies involving Bill Gates and 5G telecoms masts. I suppose there will be a few religious cranks as well.

There is another category of people who are not anti-vax as such but are "vaccine-hesitant". This includes ethnic sub-groups, including some blacks and muslims, that have historical reasons, or reasons based on local rumours, to be a bit distrustful and in need of reassurance. The NHS now runs programmes of involving local community leaders and influencers to help overcome this hesitancy.

But in the UK you really are a far-out crank if you are a principled antivaxxer. Whereas in the US, it seems to be mainstream - and apparently for many a badge of political loyalty.

Maybe I'm behind but what does Bill Gates and 5G have to do with it?
Just more conspiracy garbage?
 

exchemist

Veteran Member
Maybe I'm behind but what does Bill Gates and 5G have to do with it?
Just more conspiracy garbage?
Yes, hilarious, isn't it? You can ask @nPeace for details.

As I understand it there is a conspiracy theory that the vaccines will secretly implant a microchip in everyone, so that Gates and "The Government" and/or the "New World Order" can somehow control you, possibly by monitoring your location via 5G masts. I'm not sure about the last bit.

P.S. Sorry, not @nPeace , I think it is @InChrist .
 
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