The latest terrible pandemic trend? Vaccine hypocrites | Arwa Mahdawi

Some people have been wearing disguises to vaccine appointments, because they don't want to be seen by anti-vax friends. The culprit? Culture war capitalism

The hottest summer accessories for people who don't want to die a horrible death but are ashamed to admit it? A wig and dark glasses. It has been reported that some people in Missouri, which has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the US, are wearing disguises to their vaccine appointments because they are terrified their anti-vaxxer friends and family might find out that they are protecting themselves from a deadly virus. A local healthcare provider has even started advertising discreet" appointments for people who want to keep their shot secret. If you are afraid of walking into a public area where you might be seen getting your vaccine, we will work to accommodate even more of a private setting for you to receive your vaccine," Ozarks Healthcare said in a statement.

So this is the latest inane chapter of the culture wars, eh? Vaccines have become so politicised that the US is now having to provide safe spaces for people worried that they will be ostracised by their peers for believing in science. I would love to say I feel sympathy towards these people, but the seemingly never-ending pandemic has drained me of patience; stories like this just make me irate. If I were a pharmacist at that Missouri hospital, I would be tempted to grab the stealth-vaccinators by their collars and scream: FACTS DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR IGNORANT FRIENDS' FEELINGS!" (You can see why I have never successfully worked in a customer-facing environment.) There are millions of people around the world who don't have access to a vaccine and would proudly get one. Treating a lifesaving shot like a dirty little secret is the height of privilege.