15 August 2020 | New Scientist | 5THE covid-19 pandemic has exposed
some major fault lines in public trust
of science and medicine. From
conspiracy theories about 5G phone
masts, Chinese bioweapons and Bill
Gates to some people’s refusal to
wear masks even when required
to do so, it is clear that a significant
minority of people are worryingly
resistant to the facts.
These conspiracy theories and their
fallout are going to look like very minor
skirmishes if and when a covid-
vaccine becomes available. Already
there are worrying signs that many
people will refuse to get vaccinated.
A survey released last week found that
around half of the UK may decide to
decline. International polls have found
similar levels of anti-vaccine sentiment.
You might be tempted to condemnrefuseniks to their fate. But of course,
their actions will have consequences
for others, too. Vaccines are principally
aimed at protecting individuals, but
they can also create a social good
through herd immunity. That is a
lifesaver for people who, for various
reasons, cannot be vaccinated.This is just one reason why
clinical trials mustn’t be rushed.
An unsafe or mediocre vaccine
could be worse than none at all.
Scientists also have a duty to build
trust in vaccination, and thankfully they
already are. A project called CONVINCEhas started the hard and thankless
task of persuading those worried
about vaccines to change their minds.
A vaccine will also widen another
fault line that is already running through
the body politic: nationalism versus
globalism. Last week, the World Health
Organization warned about the
dangers of rich countries hogging scarce
supplies. This “vaccine nationalism”
blighted the global response to the
2009 flu pandemic and it looks as
if it is rearing its ugly head again.
Once more, the answer must lie
in using facts to change minds. We
need to convince governments that
nationalist responses are bound to fail
when it comes to this new coronavirus.
The pandemic is, by definition,
a global problem – and it needs a
global solution. ❚Global thinking
We need to think globally, not nationalistically to beat the coronavirus
The leader
“‘Vaccine nationalism’ blighted
the response to the 2009 flu
pandemic and it looks as if it
is rearing its ugly head again”EDITORIALChief executive Nina Wright
Finance director Amee Dixon
Marketing director Jo Adams
Commercial and events director Adrian Newton
Human resources director Shirley Spencer
Facilities manager Ricci Welch
Executive assistant Lorraine Lodge
Receptionist Alice Catling
Non-exec chair Bernard Gray
Senior non-exec director Louise RogersMANAGEMENTPUBLISHING & COMMERCIAL
Display advertising
Tel +44 (0)20 7611 1291
Email [email protected]
Sales director Justin Viljoen
Sales manager Rosie Bolam
Recruitment advertising
Tel +44 (0)20 7611 1204
Email [email protected]
Recruitment sales manager Viren Vadgama
New Scientist Events
Tel +44 (0)20 7611 1245 Email [email protected]
Creative director Valerie Jamieson
Sales director Jacqui McCarron
Event manager Henry Gomm
Marketing manager Emiley Partington
Events team support manager Rose Garton
New Scientist Discovery Tours
Director Kevin Currie
Senior product manager Lee Travers
Marketing
Head of campaign marketing James Nicholson
Digital marketing manager Poppy Lepora
Head of customer experience Emma Robinson
Email/CRM manager Rose Broomes
Head of data analytics Tom Tiner
Web development
Head of technology Tom McQuillan
Maria Moreno Garrido, Amardeep Sian,
Piotr WalkówEditor Emily Wilson
Executive editor Richard Webb
Creative director Craig Mackie
News
News editor Penny Sarchet
Editors Jacob Aron, Chelsea Whyte
Reporters (UK) Jessica Hamzelou, Michael Le Page,
Layal Liverpool, Donna Lu,
Adam Vaughan, Clare Wilson
(US) Leah Crane
(Aus) Alice Klein
Digital
Digital editor Conrad Quilty-Harper
Podcast editor Rowan Hooper
Web team Emily Bates, Anne Marie Conlon,
David Stock, Sam Wong
Features
Head of features Catherine de Lange
and Tiffany O’Callaghan
Editors Gilead Amit, Daniel Cossins,
Kate Douglas, Alison George, Joshua Howgego
Feature writer Graham Lawton
Culture and Community
Comment and culture editor Timothy Revell
Editor Liz Else
Subeditors
Chief subeditor Eleanor Parsons
Bethan Ackerley, Tom Campbell,
Chris Simms, Jon White
Design
Art editor Kathryn Brazier
Joe Hetzel, Ryan Wills
Picture desk
Picture editor Helen Benians
Tim Boddy
Production
Production manager Joanne Keogh
Robin BurtonCONTACT US
newscientist.com/contact
General & media enquiries
US PO Box 80247, Portland, OR 97280
UK Tel +44 (0)20 7611 1200
25 Bedford Street, London WC2E 9ES
Australia 418A Elizabeth St, Surry Hills, NSW 2010
US Newsstand
Tel +1 973 909 5819
Distributed by Time Inc. Retail, a division of Meredith
Corporation, 6 Upper Pond Road, Parsippany, NJ 07054
Syndication
Tribune Content Agency
Tel 1-800-346-8798 Email [email protected]
Subscriptions
newscientist.com/subscribe
Tel 1 888 822 3242
Email [email protected]
Post New Scientist, PO Box 3806,
Chesterfield MO 63006-© 2020 New Scientist Ltd, England. New Scientist ISSN 0262 4079
is published weekly except for the last week in December by
New Scientist Ltd, England. New Scientist (Online) ISSN 2059 5387.
New Scientist Limited, 387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016
Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and other mailing offices
Postmaster: Send address changes to New Scientist, PO Box 3806,
Chesterfield, MO 63006-9953, USA.
Registered at the Post Office as a newspaper and printed in USA by
Fry Communications Inc, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055