Protection From Covid-19, the Flu, and Conspiracy Theories
Flu season is coming, and just because the Covid-19 pandemic has taken center stage does not mean that the flu shot is any less important. In fact, writes Markham Heid at Elemental, early evidence shows that getting the flu shot is associated with protection against the worst Covid-19 outcomes. There are a number of possible reasons why, not least of which is that people who get flu shots to protect themselves may be more generally health-conscious than others.
One can likewise protect themselves from conspiracy theories by learning to identify them and understanding why they’re so appealing. “In times of war, social and political crises, and pandemic, our social machinery breaks down,” writes Lydia Smith at Forge. “The available ways of making sense of the world often seem inadequate.” Enter conspiracy theories, which offer comfort by presenting false perspectives in which the world appears to be ordered.
