Vax Anxiety

I’m not in favour of the term vaccination hesitancy as it does not give any clue as to the reason why a vaccine would not be a preferable choice given the tragic outcomes for some in our current covid pandemic.

We are confronted with a tragic circumstance of which previous experiences such as that of the 1918-19 Spanish Flu painfully demonstrate.

So why is there hesitancy to take advantage strategies that reduce the harm to the individual and community at large.

The final common pathway for the individual to survive is to have a heightened alert state to cope with a potential threat. Understanding the threat improves the odds of survival for that individual.

For those people who have heightened anxiety to engage with a potentially perceived life threatening process be it Covid or the jab leads to avoidance.

We know that in highly charged anxious situations the ability to make rational decisions and to use irrational arguments to avoid having to make those decisions play a very important role in determining outcomes.

Add to this is the right for self determination and decision making which is also being challenged and in itself is sentinel.

Any information that may help avoid the decision making may be pounced upon by those more at risk of anxiety. This is where misinformation finds a footing.

The quarter truths mixed with harboured fears are very powerful for some people especially those who have less favourable life experiences.

These people unwittingly become targets for self interest groups.

From a genetic point of view those people who have the less favourable COMt gene (see blog For COMt Sake) are more predisposed as this gene controls the flight fight response.

So hesitancy is a result of anxiety and anxiety is a heightened alert state that improves survival when appropriately deployed.

Currently the Covid information is that the hesitance caused by anxiety is not in the individuals best interests.

I respect and understand this anxiety.