In January 2021, Dodger Stadium faced disruptions from anti-vaccine protesters during COVID-19 vaccination efforts. These protests were part of a broader trend of resistance against pandemic-related measures like mask mandates and lockdowns. An article by , from the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University, draws parallels between these events and the Montreal Vaccine Riot of 1885.
The article talks about how the was triggered when a railway conductor carrying arrived in the city. Vaccination efforts were hindered by concerns about vaccine safety, leading to a suspension of the vaccination program. Opponents of vaccination spread misinformation, and the epidemic worsened, leading to a large number of cases and deaths.
The saw violent clashes between protesters and authorities, with property damage and injuries. The riot was not a capitulation of the demands of anti-vaccine activists, but a shift of opposition to vaccination into courtrooms and activist leagues. , mandating vaccination for children and allowing vaccination orders during outbreaks.
The article highlights that resistance to vaccines is not solely based on scientific uncertainty. It is also often rooted in concerns about personal autonomy and social class (conservatism in politics and tribalism in social interactions). Anti-vaccine sentiments remained before and after . That great public health success failed to convince many anti-vaccine activists. Recent surveys show , as many view public health policies as expressions of power imbalances in society.
The lesson for healthcare providers is to respect the power of personal health decisions and acknowledge that power takes various forms. Building trust in patient-physician relationships can be crucial in addressing vaccine hesitancy and making public health decisions more acceptable to the population.
Read the full article:
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you for reading! If you like what we researched for you and presented in this blog post, and would like to read more blog posts like this, please consider signing up for email updates by