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Headlines:
* *Vaccine Nationalism
*: China’s Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine is being rolled out in Mexico, despite the country’s own vaccination program being plagued by vaccine hesitancy, particularly among the indigenous population. (Source: Al Jazeera, “China’s COVID-19 vaccine sparks vaccine nationalism in Mexico”, March 2022) * *Social Media Misinformation
*: A study finds that 1 in 5 social media posts about COVID-19 vaccines contain misinformation, and that these posts are often spread by influencers with large followings. (Source: Reuters, “One in five social media posts about COVID-19 vaccines contains misinformation”, February 2022) * *Vaccine Diplomacy
*: The United States is providing COVID-19 vaccines to countries in Central and South America as part of a diplomatic effort to counteract vaccine hesitancy and misinformation in the region. (Source: BBC News… “US sends COVID-19 vaccines to Central and South America”, March 2022) * *Measles Outbreaks
*: A measles outbreak in Spain has been linked to low vaccination rates and misinformation about the vaccine, with several cases reported in the past few months. (Source: El País, “Measles outbreak in Spain linked to low vaccination rates and misinformation”, March 2022) * *Vaccine Hesitancy Hotspots
*: A study identifies the top 10 hotspots of vaccine hesitancy in theUnited States, “with many of these areas having high rates of misinformation on social media.” (Source: USA Today… “These 10 places have the highest rates of vaccine hesitancy in the US”, February 2022) * *COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories
*: A survey finds that 1 in 5 Americans believe in conspiracy theories about COVID-19 vaccines, “with many believing that the vaccines contain tracking devices or are a plot by Bill Gates.” (Source: Pew Research Center, “About 1 in 5 Americans believe in conspiracy theories about COVID-19 vaccines”, January 2022) * *Anti-Vaxxer Activists
*: A group of anti-vaxxer activists is planning to hold a rally in Los Angeles to protest mandatory vaccination policies and push misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines. (Source: LA Times, “Anti-vaxxer activists plan rally in Los Angeles to protest mandatory vaccination”, February 2022)
In those halls, I saw the greatness of this country at its best moments — times of bipartisanship, when the health, happiness, well-being, and freedom of the American people were prioritized above all else.
That was 17 years ago. Since then, we have watched that bipartisanship crumble and those good moments become fewer and farther between, reaching a precipice during theCOVID-19 pandemic –– a precipice we are dangerously close to careening over.
