A Biden administration that vowed to restore Americans’ faith in public health has grown increasingly paralyzed over how to combat the resurgence in vaccine skepticism.

And internally, aides and advisers concede there is no comprehensive plan for countering a movement that’s steadily expanded its influence on the president’s watch.

The rising appeal of anti-vaccine activism has been underscored by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s insurgent presidential campaign and fueled by prominent factions of the GOP. The mainstreaming of a once-fringe movement has horrified federal health officials, who blame it for seeding dangerous conspiracy theories and bolstering a Covid-era backlash to the nation’s broader public health practices.

But as President Joe Biden ramps up a reelection campaign centered on his vision for a post-pandemic America, there’s little interest among his aides in courting a high-profile vaccine fight — and even less certainty of how to win.

“There’s a real challenge here,” said one senior official who’s worked on the Covid response and was granted anonymity to speak candidly. “But they keep just hoping it’ll go away.”

The White House’s reticence is compounded by legal and practical concerns that have cut off key avenues for repelling the anti-vaccine movement, according to interviews with eight current and former administration officials and others close to the process.

  • jjjalljs@ttrpg.network
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    7
    arrow-down
    9
    ·
    1 year ago
    1. Find prominent anti-vaxxers
    2. Kill them
    3. That’s it you’re done.

    Obviously this isn’t ethical or practical, but it would result in net fewer deaths than doing nothing.

    • Jax@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      1 year ago

      Something something slippery slope something something life starts at conception something something all life has value something something murder bad.

      • HerbalGamer@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        1 year ago

        something something life starts at conception something something all life has value

        apart from that I mostly agree

    • cricket97@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      15% of US adults are unvaccinated. No, killing them all would not result in fewer deaths. You are a crazy person.

      • jjjalljs@ttrpg.network
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        arrow-down
        2
        ·
        1 year ago

        15% of us adults are not prominent anti vaxxers.

        Many people cannot be vaccinated for legitimate reasons. They’re fine.

        It’s the people who go on YouTube or TV or a high office spreading anti vaccine misinformation that need to go in the ground.

        • cricket97@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          1
          arrow-down
          2
          ·
          1 year ago

          You are crazy. Saying stupid shit, even if it’s harmful, is not and should not be punishable by death.

          • jjjalljs@ttrpg.network
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            2
            arrow-down
            2
            ·
            1 year ago

            Nah. If we just kill them, and a lot of the Republican party, the world gets markedly better.

            We could make a lot of progress on climate change, too!

            They’re bad people who want to kill me and my loved ones. I don’t see why I should treat them as anything less than an existential threat.