Isolation Is Behind Antivaccine Posts on ‘Japan Twitter’, Expert Says

From Jiji Press

June 21 2021

TOKYO –Social media comments to fuel opposition to COVID-19 inoculation and spread false rumors about vaccines reflect people feeling isolated as their concerns about shots are not shared by others, an expert said. 

Among these comments are “if you get vaccinated, you’ll become gene-altered,” and “Pfizer Inc. acknowledged that its vaccine causes infertility.”

These comments also include “by getting a shot, you will be controlled by 5G electric waves,” and “your body will be magnetized.”

Shoji Tsuchida, Professor of Safety Psychology at Kansai University, warned against simply sneering at such postings. “Telling antivaccine people without much consideration that they’re crazy will make the situation even worse,” he said.

“It’s very dangerous when society doesn’t offer support to people feeling anxious and when only cults and conspiracy theorists listen to them with empathy,” Tsuchida said.