Tensions are flaring up as the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic continues. And it seems like pretty much everyone is at each other’s throats.
We’ve got people who are willing to get vaccinated against Covid-19 debating the hesitant who believe that they’re being forced to get the jab and that this infringes on their liberties and privacy. Among the latter are some fringe conspiracy theorists and anti-vaxxers who believe that the shots supposedly contain graphene oxide, microchips, cause infertility, or are a way for the Illuminati to increase their control over all of us.
However, the internet’s full of people who see it as their duty to fight fake news and to call out those wearing tinfoil hats. They do this by verbally destroying anti-vaxxers in the comments on social media, and Bored Panda’s collected the proof to share with all of you. Check out the most powerful roasts below and let us know which ones you thought were worth calling the fire department over by giving the pics an upvote and writing up a comment.
Dr. Andrew Carroll, from Arizona, went into detail with Bored Panda about why some people are afraid of the vaccines, why the benefits outweigh the risks, and what we can expect to see in the near future, as we’re slowly moving out of summer and into autumn. He told me that the vaccines are doing their job very well and helping protect people from hospitalization, even as new variants of the virus emerge. However, defeating the pandemic will require everyone to be on the same page. “If we’re ever going to get out of this pandemic (and further variants) we are all going to have to pull together as one unified world, break down vaccine disparities, and use universal precautions.”
According to Dr. Carroll, it’s the fear of the unknown that drives vaccine skepticism. “We did introduce a brand new vaccine type, the mRNA vaccine. The great thing about it is that we were able to create a vaccine in such a short period of time. It used to take years to develop. This technology was created for the primary purpose of being able to respond extremely rapidly to a fast-moving, debilitating, and deadly virus such as this. But it’s because it’s new, people are afraid,” he said. Read on for Bored Panda’s full interview with Dr. Carroll.
Ready to stroll into the land of conspiracies and anti-science? Don’t forget your garlic and silver bullets. In the mood for some other great anti-vaxxer comebacks? We’ve got you covered. Check out Bored Panda’s previous two articles right here and here once you’re done with this list.
#1 Part Of The Control Group
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#2 Can’t Find Scholarly Evidence To Back Up Anti Vax, But That’s No Deterrence
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#3 This Anti Vaxxer Trying To Stop Her Son From Getting Vaccinations Himself
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Dr. Carroll explained that those hesitant to get jabbed have heard stories about reactions to the 2nd shot or about “the occasional rare severe reaction.” That explains why some people are suspicious and more careful.
“Reactions do occur, but the severe reactions are exceedingly rare, and with such a deadly and serious virus, the benefit of the vaccine far outweigh the risk of it. We are already seeing that the vaccinated in the US who are exposed and contract the Delta variant are far less likely to require hospitalization. That is exactly what vaccines are meant to do. It’s doing its job, and it’s doing it well,” the doctor told Bored Panda that there are more upsides than downsides to getting vaccinated.
#4 Anti-Vaxxers Wanting To Boycott Restaurants They Are Banned From
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#5 Beautifully Pointing Out How Jack Doesn’t Know Why A Vaccine Is
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#6 Anti Vaxxer Pretends To Be Educated
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According to Dr. Carroll, some groups use (and actively spread) the misinformation and conspiracy theories to consolidate their power and for financial gain. “I believe there’s a great deal of misinformation out there, perpetuated by echo chambers, or interest groups, on social media. If you associate with the people who confirm your beliefs, then you’re more likely to not be willing to take in new information that might change your mind,” he said.
“There are groups, primarily political groups, which take advantage of this and continue to echo their message. This is in order to maintain power. It is not in the interest of improving their health or getting rid of the pandemic. It is in the hopes of maintaining their vote. The anti-vaxxers have found their strength amongst the skeptical, and rather than accept that science has a better way, they continue to push their antiscience/antivaccine message in hopes that you will continue to listen to them, attend their conferences, by their books, watch their shows, and purchase their alternative medicine.”
#7 Anti-Vaxxers Be Like “Do Some Research!”
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#8 Rant
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#9 I Think You Will Survive The Vaccine
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The doctor also commented on the current situation regarding the pandemic in his local area. “Of course, school is in session (the school district around me has been in session for 2 weeks now), and we’re seeing a rapid spread of the virus amongst school children. Arizona has the second-highest rate of deaths among children 17 and under, and yet we are the 14th most populous state. Only Texas has had more deaths,” he shared the bad news.
“This is very concerning and reflects the disparities in healthcare, as well as the problems with not requiring schoolchildren to mask up while in school. We also would like to see more uptake of the vaccine in the 12 years and older group.”
#10 Anti-Vax Plague
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#11 So Ironic It Hurts
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#12 Anti Vax Mom Wants To Make An Underground Dating Site For Her Unvaccinated Kids
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French President Emmanuel Macron has pushed through the vaccine passport to help stem the spread of Covid. The health passport has finally been implemented in France despite the country having just finished up its fourth weekend of protests against the idea. Vaccine skeptics believe that it’s infringing on their freedom, though the constitutional council upheld the legality of most of the new measures proposed by the French government.
Across the Atlantic, in the US, rightwing TV and radio host Dick Farrel died after getting coronavirus. The Guardian reports that Farrel was a big critic of Dr. Anthony Fauci (whom he called a “power-tripping lying freak”) and urged his listeners not to get vaccinated against Covid-19.
#13 Got Em
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#14 Anti Vaxxer#15 Probably Not Even The Full 30 Minutes
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As much as we like to think that we’re all unique and that we’re facing unique problems, this isn’t really the case. History might not repeat itself, but it sure does rhyme a lot. Conspiracy theories have been around forever and Covid/mask/anti-vax ones are just the latest batch. However, currently, things are getting worse with the proliferation of various conspiracy theories.
Lee McIntyre, from Boston University, told Bored Panda during an earlier interview that conspiracy theories have been around since the time of Nero in the Roman Empire. “They pop up in times of turmoil or mass unrest when people try to make sense of the world, but can’t,” he said.
#16 Anti-Vaxxers Are Truly The Peak Of Human Intelligence
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#17 Championship Level Response
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#18 Anti-Vaxxer Logic
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“They [conspiracy theories] have all grown in popularity because beliefs (even fringe beliefs) are reinforced by peer approval, and that is now readily available on the internet. Virtually all of the flat earthers I met were converted based on Youtube videos. Some then went to the conferences. After that, they were ‘down the rabbit hole,’” Lee explained that the internet and echo chambers help reinforce conspiracies like the Flat Earth theory and others.
“It’s important to remember that these pathologies of human reasoning exist not just to defend themselves but to proselytize new members. They are virulent. They are infectious. I wish Flat Earth were the worst of them, but it isn’t. It’s the scourge of our age. And it will only continue to get worse,” the expert warned Bored Panda.
#19 The Ol’ Switcheroo
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#20 Doctor Of Reading?
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#21 Anti Vaxxers Lurk
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#22 Anti-Vaxxer Thinks Vaccines Are Dangerous Drugs
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#23 Anti Vaxxer#24 4 Billion Dollars Paid Out For Vaccine Injuries?
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#25 Coming Back At An Anti-Vaxxer
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#26 Trust Him, He Is A “Doctor” (Found On Tiktok)
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#27 There’s No Vaccination For That
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#28 On A Post Asking If Anti Vaxxers Would Want To Get The Covid-19 Vaccine If It Gets Released Officially
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#29 Anti Vaxxer#30 Anyone Else Know Anti-Vaxxer Women Who Are Pro-Botox
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Read more: boredpanda.com