She stated that her parents initially believed Covid-19 to be no worse than the flu but soon switched to more extreme theories.
Cardiff woman, concerned about her parents’ mental health, spoke anonymously to Newyddion S4C.
One Welsh doctor said the antivaccination movement was a “big problem.”
According to the woman, her parents found a large community on Twitter and other websites that allowed them to share their conspiracy beliefs.
She said that theories about Covid include “why it exists…that it’s here to control population or that it is completely fake.”
“I believed in conspiracy theories against anti-vaccine vaccines.
What is the antivaccination movement, and how can it be defeated?
“One conspiracy theory is that people’s disposable blue masks may have asbestos.
“They have theories about every aspect of the past year… that was never part of their lives before.”
Anti-vaccine theories
The woman tried everything to convince her parents that the vaccine was safe, but they remained skeptical.
She said, “It was shocking because it was so unexpected.”
They knew we did not share the same outlook, so they tried to conceal it from us until it got too much. They believed they knew the truth and had brainwashed us.
“Their reality is that all who get the vaccine in the fall will die. If we don’t, then we will all develop auto-immune diseases.
They believe that even though they know, it’s not accurate as parents.
What percentage of people in Wales have been vaccinated?
Three-quarters of the 18- to 29-year-olds who get their first jab receive it.
According to the woman, her parents don’t understand how “cunning” certain people can be on the internet when they share lies.
She called for more to be done to shut down fake news websites and to emphasize the facts in these uncertain times.
Eilir Hughes is a Nefyn, Gwynedd GP who has seen Covid patients during the pandemic. He is now more concerned about the antivaccination movement.
He said, “It’s a problem because when we come across people to offer the vaccine… and try to give them the opposite side – that the vaccine’s very useful in preventing severe illness, death, and hospital care, they don’t want to hear it.”
“And they sometimes get very unreasonable in their responses. Misinformation is going viral. They are often contacted from abroad or via professional platforms.
