Own Research
My
an investigation into American vaccine hesitancy and the
anti-vax movement
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he phrase “do your own research” has circulated across the internet and social media for years. It seems harmless enough, after all, research is always a good thing. However, the phrase has become a calling card for the circulation of misinformation, especially surrounding vaccination.
Today, with the recent and ongoing Covid-19 pandemic we have seen firsthand the effects of vaccine resistance and medical mistrust. More than ever, we face the dangers of resisting medical and public health recommendations. With constant exposure to misinformation on social media those around us are being dragged further and further into the conspiracy. A few have commodified the amplification of misinformation and paranoia.
This project is an attempt to chart the progression of vaccine hesitancy in America - and analyze the contributions of modern technologies in its evolution. There is a hope that with better understanding, we can develop more effective methods of communication that can counteract the effects of misinformation.
Timeline
Early Smallpox in North America
1625
Early encounters with colonists exposed native communities to smallpox, which devastated native populations and lead to increased hostility.
Mandatory Inoculation for the Continental
Army
1777
George Washington ordered mandatory inoculation for the troops who had not survived a previous smallpox infection.
U.S. Vaccine Agency Established
1813
The U.S. Congress authorized the establishment of a National Vaccine Agency. The U.S. Post Office was required to carry mail weighing up to 0.5 oz. for free if it contained vaccine material.
The Anti-Vaccination League of America
The first meeting is held in New York
1882
First U.S. Polio Epidemic
1894
Eighteen deaths and 132 cases of permanent paralysis were reported.
The Dallas Disaster
Dozens of children were sickened and five died from a contaminated batch of diphtheria antitoxin mixture.
1919
Armed Stand Against Vaccination
1926
A group of health officers visited Georgetown, Delaware, to vaccinate the townspeople. A militia took up arms against them.
Massive Vaccination Effort
1947
At the beginning of a smallpox outbreak, the mayor of New York held a press conference, urging for public vaccination. The total number of cases was 12, and the final death count was only two.
Surge in Polio Cases
1952
57,628 polio cases were reported in the United States, more than 21,000 of them paralytic cases.
The Cutter Indecent
1955
After the conclusion of the trials, a case of paralytic polio was reported in a vaccinated girl: paralysis began in the vaccinated arm. Similar reports continued. Most of these cases occurred from the vaccine produced by Cutter Laboratories in California
Smallpox Fully Eradicated
1980
The World Health Organization officially declares that smallpox has been eradicated. There have been no naturally occurring cases since.
Andrew Wakefield Raper Published
1998
Wakefield questioned the safety of MMR and suggested a relationship between vaccination and autism. Due to the lack of evidence the claims were not taken seriously by medical professionals. Wakefield was banned from practicing medicine in Britain.
Measles Outbreak from Disneyland
2015
An outbreak occurred originating from a case at Disneyland. A total of 188 cases were reported in total, most of them in under- or unvaccinated individuals.
WHO Declares COVID-19 a Pandemic
2020
1000
Early Chinese Inoculation
Some of the first instances of purposeful immunization were occurring in China. It's difficult to pinpoint when the practice began, as some sources claim dates as early as 200 BCE.
1648
Quarantine in
Boston
Strict quarantine was established in Boston after yellow fever epidemics of yellow fever in nations involved in significant trade.
1798
The First Vaccine: Smallpox
George Washington ordered mandatory inoculation for the troops who had not survived a previous smallpox infection.
1879
First Lab made Vaccine
Louis Pasteur’s vaccine for chicken cholera
1893
Smallpox Outbreak due to Low Vaccination Rates
1905
U.S. Supreme Court Addresses Vaccination Mandates
Jacobson v. Massachusetts is upheld and vaccination mandates are deemed constitutional to preserve public health.
1922
School Vaccination Requirements
A group of health officers visited Georgetown, Delaware, to vaccinate the townspeople. A militia took up arms against them.
1945
Influenza Vaccine Approved
A group of health officers visited Georgetown, Delaware, to vaccinate the townspeople. A militia took up arms against them.
1949
Last Naturally Occurring Smallpox Outbreak
Last case of smallpox in the United States.
1954
Start of Polio Vaccine Trials
The Vaccine Advisory Committee approved field tests for the polio vaccine with the vaccination of thousands of schoolchildren.
1967
WHO Pushed Eradication Efforts
The World Health Organization works to eradicate smallpox worldwide. The program came under criticism by human rights activists: corrosive practices, bending regulations, searches.
1988
Global Polio Eradication Initiative
The initiative called for the eradication of polio by 200. At the time, polio was endemic in 125 countries.
2000
99% Reduction in Polio Cases
In the U.S., there were a total of 719 were reported in 2000 compared to 350,000 cases in 1988.
2016
Measles Eliminated in the U.S.
The World Health Organization officially declared that measels was eliminated from the Americas.
2020
First COVID-19 Vaccines Administered in the U.S.
the first of 2.9 million doses of the Pfizer BioNTech mRNA vaccine against the novel coronavirus causing the COVID-19 pandemic was given.