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A tragic story in two charts:
1) It never used to be the case, but there is now a big partisan gap for trust in science in the US. Republicans are now essentially the anti-science party, while Dems are stridently pro
1) It never used to be the case, but there is now a big partisan gap for trust in science in the US. Republicans are now essentially the anti-science party, while Dems are stridently pro
2) As a result, vaccination rates were markedly lower among Republicans than Democrats during the pandemic, and a new study finds that this led to significantly higher excess death rates among Reps than Dems, amounting to tens of thousands of lives lost https://t.co/SSY7E25TlAjamanetwork.com/journals/jamai…
Here’s another view: there were immediately excess deaths among supporters of both parties when Covid took off, but rates were similar.
But after vaccines became available, a partisan mortality gap opened up and rapidly widened (this is adjusted for age)
But after vaccines became available, a partisan mortality gap opened up and rapidly widened (this is adjusted for age)
To be fair, anti-vax attitudes are hardly confined to the US or to Republicans.
AfD voters in Germany were more vax-sceptic than most, as were supporters of populists in France.
But breadth & depth of anti-vax attitudes in those countries and parties was far less than in the US
AfD voters in Germany were more vax-sceptic than most, as were supporters of populists in France.
But breadth & depth of anti-vax attitudes in those countries and parties was far less than in the US
Notably, there was no partisan vax gap in UK.
By May 2021, with all US adults eligible for vax, less than half of Reps had taken up the offer, vs 82% of Dems. In UK, Lab & Con voters alike turned up in droves, with 90% of eligible adults in each party vaxxed by the same date.
By May 2021, with all US adults eligible for vax, less than half of Reps had taken up the offer, vs 82% of Dems. In UK, Lab & Con voters alike turned up in droves, with 90% of eligible adults in each party vaxxed by the same date.
It’s tragic that anti-science views have become so deeply embedded in the US political divide.
With pandemics likely a recurring part of our future, anti-vax attitudes will cost lives across the world, but no developed country has a problem as entrenched and as lethal as the US.
With pandemics likely a recurring part of our future, anti-vax attitudes will cost lives across the world, but no developed country has a problem as entrenched and as lethal as the US.
My article: on.ft.com/3YhwCYG
@K_Niemietz But it’s interesting to me how not only do we not have the same divide in the UK on things like vaccines and climate change, attitudes to GM crops and nuclear (and to a lesser extent fracking) would be less polarised in the opposite direction here too.
Quick addendum: Kristian asks a good question here.
It’d be fascinating to poll with these examples, and I’m sure Dems number would drop.
imo the polarisation is unhealthy for both sides (just more lethal for one), and Dems line arcs up in significant part for political reasons
It’d be fascinating to poll with these examples, and I’m sure Dems number would drop.
imo the polarisation is unhealthy for both sides (just more lethal for one), and Dems line arcs up in significant part for political reasons
https://twitter.com/k_niemietz/status/1686817110159147028
But it’s interesting to me how not only do we not have the same divide in the UK on things like vaccines and climate change, attitudes to GM crops and nuclear (and to a lesser extent fracking) would be less polarised in the opposite direction here too.
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