/‘Plandemic’

‘Plandemic’

By Chad Ingram

It’s finally here – the vaccine designed by a group of global elites to transform us all into brainwashed drones toiling in perpetuity for our corrupt overlords.

As outrageous as that may sound, many readers are likely very aware that there is a widespread conspiracy theory culture surrounding COVID-19 and vaccines, and that there are a disturbing number of people worldwide who believe some variation of this narrative.

In some variations, the vaccine is the cover by which Bill Gates will implant us all with microchips … for some reason. I guess falling to being only the third richest person in the world has impacted Bill pretty badly, so now, in his rage, he has no choice but to turn us into a race of zombies.

All variations of the conspiracy contain the same central element: that the coronavirus pandemic – or “plandemic,” as hoaxers like to call it – is a great ploy planned by an illuminati-like organization in order to control the world’s population. Perpetuators of the myth believe that the virus doesn’t exist, and that the vaccines medical scientists around the globe have worked so hard at creating for the past nine months are the vehicle by which the great culling will take place.

Regrettably, I’m not making any of this up.

And in the chat rooms and online forums of the internet, conspiracy theorists are able to gravitate to one another, forming echo chambers that only reinforce the notion these ridiculous theories are true, and accelerate their spread to other like-minded individuals.

Not only is this kind of thinking demonstrative of an incredibly loose grip on reality, it is an all-out rejection of science and it is dangerous. And the more people who believe it, the more dangerous it becomes.

It stands to reason that many of these anti-vaxxers are never going to get the coronavirus shot. That may ultimately mean depriving themselves of experiences such as attending concerts, sporting events or other gatherings that will likely require proof of vaccination once they resume, but many of these folks would apparently sooner die than take a vaccine.

While it’s unclear precisely what it will take to achieve herd immunity when it comes to COVID-19, epidemiologists typically point to a requirement that at minimum, very minimum, 70 per cent of the world’s population would have to be immune. So, when it comes time – and it will be many, many more months still for most of us – to roll up your sleeve for the COVID-19 vaccine, please do your part. There’ll never be a vaccine for conspiracy theories.