Bridging divides: bioethics insights in navigating trust and polarization in a post-covid era
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Abstract
The polarization of opinions and positions during the COVID-19 pandemic is unmistakable. While there are many areas of debate, our primary focus surrounds the controversies of the COVID-19 vaccine. The SAGE Report (who 2014) on vaccine hesitancy listed three critical factors —complacency, convenience and confidence— which recurred during the pandemic. Of these, trust or confidence emerges as the central driver of polarization. Distrust spans various dimensions: government, science, pharmaceutical companies, novel vaccines, and information sources linked to peer groups and social media. Polarization is not due to information scarcity but is deeply intertwined with social identity. The echo chamber effect exacerbates this phenomenon, reinforcing beliefs within like-minded circles. The paper explores how different trust facets significantly influenced vaccine hesitancy during COVID. Finally, there is a need to reevaluate the effectiveness of vaccine mandates and social media screening, do they reduce hesitancy or inadvertently worsen polarization by eroding trust?
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