Irish Examiner view: Reluctance to avail of vaccine bizarre and dangerous

The survey found that 60% of men said they would take a vaccine and only half of the women asked said they would use one.

Back in the day, when a rural parish priest could be anything from a social worker, a matchmaker or a greyhound trainer - many were two of those, some all three - some of them reacted to the advances of today's world dismissively: "When people stop believing in God, they will believe in anything."  

Time, disconcertingly, has proved them right.

An Ipsos MRBI for the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association found that almost one-in-five - 19% - of young people say they will not avail of a Covid-19 vaccine when one becomes available.

At a moment when, for example, Spain declares a renewed national emergency to try to contain the pandemic and hospitals in Geneva call for volunteers to help tackle a record number of anticipated Covid-19 patients, this rejection of well-proven science is more than disturbing. 

It suggests that faith in our systems has been dangerously and deliberately undermined. It suggests that wilful ignorance posing as perception has reached a dangerous pitch.

The survey found that 60% of men said they would take a vaccine and only half of the women asked said they would use one. Over-65s were most likely to use one but 19% of those aged between 25 and 34 and 18% of those aged between 18 and 24 said they would not.

These figures point to a startling situation, one that must be seen as a legacy of the dangerous and bizarre anti-vaccinations movement. It also points to failures in public health communications, education and personal responsibility.