Written By:
There's a lot of talk about the threat "anti-vaxxers" pose to public health and what should be done about them. Last year, the World Health Organization named vaccine hesitancy one of the top 10 global health threats[i] alongside Ebola, HIV and antimicrobial resistance and the mainstream media kicked into high gear as it bemoaned the stubborn and growing population of people who were unwilling to roll up their sleeves.
As a result, some health officials and legislators have started recommending punitive measures, like preventing vaccine refusers from receiving public educations, getting on airplanes or entering restaurants. Others want to consider criminalizing the sharing of what they consider "vaccine misinformation."[ii] On community Facebook pages, posts deemed to be dangerous conspiracy theories are taken down and people mock and vilify their own neighbors if they dare to question the "safe and effective" vaccine narrative.
Organizations like the New Jersey Public Health Association (NJPHA) have even enlisted the help of