In recent months, the United States has made strong progress with its vaccination plan against COVID-19. This has allowed cities like New York to return to a practically normal rhythm of life, with concerts and sporting events with the public. However, there is still a very serious problem: the belief in conspiracy theories. In fact, one in five American adults believe that virus vaccines are microchipped.
This is clear from a survey conducted by YouGov in order to The Economist. According to the survey, for 5% of the participants it is “totally true” that the US government uses vaccines against COVID-19 to implant microchips and control the population. For their part, another 15% believe that it is “probably true”.
According Vice, this implies that around 42 million adults in the United States are convinced that the pandemic is a facade, and that the vaccination plan is a sham. The study indicates that the majority of those who believe in the microchip theory are white men between the ages of 30 and 44, with no college education and with an annual income of less than $ 50,000 (the lowest level on the list).
On the other hand, 14% of the total respondents answered that they “are not sure” about the supposed government control plan through vaccines against COVID-19. On the other hand, 46% considered it to be “definitely false”, while 19% say it is “probably false”.
While the percentage of Americans who believe that COVID-19 vaccines are microchipped is far less than those who do not, the numbers are alarming. To put in context, the number of people in the United States who refuse vaccination based on conspiracy theories it is practically equivalent to the total population of countries such as Spain (46.9 million) and Argentina (44.9 million).
Misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines is an “urgent threat” to health
The advance of conspiracy theories about COVID-19 vaccines in the country has caused great concern in the authorities. Yesterday, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Surgeon General of the United States, issued a notice to draw attention to citizens. In it, he ensures that disinformation related to health issues has become “an urgent threat” to the health of the population.
“Each of us has the power to stop health misinformation in its tracks. So the next time you want to share a health-related article or video, check your sources and make sure the information is backed by scientific experts. If you are not sure, do not share it, “he said on social media.
It’s true that misinformation and conspiracy theories are not limited to COVID-19 vaccines. However, the rush to advance in the fight against the pandemic makes the situation more alarming. In fact, Murthy urged tech companies to redesign your search algorithms and recommendations so that they do not include false, misleading or reckless information.