From discussions online and articles from communist or “leftist” publications, I’ve seen an increase of anti-vax/mandate thinking, either being framed as
- Pro-vaccine means you’re pro-big pharma
- Pro-vaccine is inherently racist
- Pro-mandate is bourgeois authority meant to dissuade organizing
- Pro-COVID “hysteria” is a way to further oppress the working class
Other than a psyop meant to discredit the left, what about those that are genuine? I’ve seen online communists with seemingly good politics fall to this line of thinking, and even sources like Greyzone and MintPress have pushed out similar drivel. And of course I’ve only seen this from Western “leftists”, mostly from the US but not limited to them.
The pandemic has been a serious issue since the beginning, and now that rates of infection and hospitalizations are spiking well past the highs during the “peak” of the pandemic in the US, these voices have grown. The irresponsibility of these supposed comrades spouting out their hurtful rhetoric despite AES countries like China taking the necessary steps to continue to contain the pandemic speaks volumes to those privileged enough to be anti-health of the working class.
In the US at least I can see why people wouldn’t trust the healthcare industry or for that matter might not have that much experience with it. They’re not right to not get vaccinated, but I get it. This isn’t a country where people come first and even the most backwards wretch kind of innately understands that even if they don’t have the material context to explain it without using far right quackery. As for communists, again why would you trust your vaccines weren’t rushed out by the lowest bidder to get people to work, damn any consequences. That’s not an excuse not to get vaxxed, but I get the mistrust.