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Amazing to see that the UK has >90% positive vaccine sentiment, and close to 90% with at least one dose of vaccines now. Am I reading that right? How did they m

Amazing to see that the UK has >90% positive vaccine sentiment, and close to 90% with at least one dose of vaccines now. Am I reading that right? How did they manage to avoid the politicization of the issue that is keeping people from getting the shot in other Western countries?

scotty79 5y ago
They had Wakefield creating antivaxxers and then they had a journalist that got to the bottom of his BS. This expose was highly publicised so people got through into their heads that antivaxx is BS. Wakefield then ran away to US and Brits lived happily ever after ... till Brexit. At least that's what's postulated here https://youtu.be/8BIcAZxFfrc https://youtu.be/8BIcAZxFfrc
kcartlidge 5y ago
There were a few things that strike me (I'm British) as being quite relevant. The first is that from very early on the PM was flanked by medical professionals who appeared to be apolitical and were considered by all 'sides' on the vaccine debate to be honest (even if their opinions were sometimes contentious). That credibility meant they were listened to. The second is that the NHS is almost a religion over here - this contributes to the medical profession being extremely well trusted. In many places in the world the frontline medical staff are trusted but the system isn't. We're lucky here in that largely both aspects retain their respect. Note that I'm not commenting on other nations health systems or their population's opinion of it. We (the UK) are not unique in having reasonable healthcare; this is more about our high perception of the system providing it. Finally, as a society we are very compliant, and also with the not-for-profit AZ vaccine there was a certain feeling of a national champion who was also helping to save the world.
hifly 5y ago
I think the number is more like 50 odd percent of the population? I think the 90% number is of some limited subset like "adults who have received at least shot"?
- phreeza 5y ago
  It's percentage of people over 16.

scotty79 5y ago

They had Wakefield creating antivaxxers and then they had a journalist that got to the bottom of his BS. This expose was highly publicised so people got through into their heads that antivaxx is BS. Wakefield then ran away to US and Brits lived happily ever after ... till Brexit. At least that's what's postulated here https://youtu.be/8BIcAZxFfrc https://youtu.be/8BIcAZxFfrc

kcartlidge 5y ago

There were a few things that strike me (I'm British) as being quite relevant. The first is that from very early on the PM was flanked by medical professionals who appeared to be apolitical and were considered by all 'sides' on the vaccine debate to be honest (even if their opinions were sometimes contentious). That credibility meant they were listened to. The second is that the NHS is almost a religion over here - this contributes to the medical profession being extremely well trusted. In many places in the world the frontline medical staff are trusted but the system isn't. We're lucky here in that largely both aspects retain their respect. Note that I'm not commenting on other nations health systems or their population's opinion of it. We (the UK) are not unique in having reasonable healthcare; this is more about our high perception of the system providing it. Finally, as a society we are very compliant, and also with the not-for-profit AZ vaccine there was a certain feeling of a national champion who was also helping to save the world.

hifly 5y ago

I think the number is more like 50 odd percent of the population? I think the 90% number is of some limited subset like "adults who have received at least shot"?

phreeza 5y ago
It's percentage of people over 16.