CANBERRA — Disinformation surrounding COVID-19 creates a risk that any successful vaccine may be rejected by communities, or even face terrorist attacks, in an effort to stop the perceived threats of a vaccine.
A new report from the Global Health Security Network, “The COVID-19 pandemic vs Post-Truth,” highlights the dangers vaccine delivery may face as a growing number of conspiracy theorists — including those who believe that the vaccine will deliver microchip tracking by Bill Gates — targeting the “reality” of COVID-19 become radicalized.
“These conspiracy theories promote violence,” lead author Jennifer Hunt, lecturer at the Australian National University’s National Security College, explained at the launch of the report. “If you have demonized covert groups as part of a secret cabal to try and undermine your constitutional rights and your freedoms and liberties, violence is perhaps justified and rationalized in their minds.”
About the author
Lisa Cornishlisa_cornish
Lisa Cornish is a former Devex Senior Reporter based in Canberra, where she focuses on the Australian aid community. Lisa has worked with News Corp Australia as a data journalist and has been published throughout Australia in the Daily Telegraph in Melbourne, Herald Sun in Melbourne, Courier-Mail in Brisbane, and online through news.com.au. Lisa additionally consults with Australian government providing data analytics, reporting and visualization services.