[7.1] Rising vaccine hesitancy and misinformation fuel preventable COVID deaths — The Conversation
The global anti-vaccine movement, fueled by COVID-19 misinformation, continues to grow. A survey shows declining U.S. vaccine confidence since April 2021. Misinformation includes false links between vaccines and autism, infertility, and ingredient safety concerns.
Health myths have led to 319,000 preventable COVID-19 deaths and daily economic losses of $50-300 million in the U.S.
The spread is aided by declining trust in science and selective social media exposure.