The anti-vax movement is comprised of individuals and organizations which seek to undermine pro-science, pro-vaccine policies through a variety of methods. These include, but are not limited to:
- Spreading disinformation/misinformation via social media platforms to incite mistrust of public health officials, vaccines and other modern medicine, and, most recently, public health measures such as masking to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
- Threatening and intimidating elected and local public health officials to try and prevent them from enacting public-health safety measures such as vaccine requirements.
- Co-opting other social justice movements and appropriating their language (such as "my body, my choice" or "Black Lives Matter") to make headway in promoting anti-vaccine, anti-science legislation and policies.
- Organizing local legislative campaigns and candidates in an attempt to enact anti-vaccine policies and legislation at the state-level, such as the recently defeated HB 1191 "Prohibit Discrimination based on COVID-19 vaccination status" in Colorado.
Deciphering the CODE
This publication from Colorado Immunization Advocates (CIA) explains the "code words" used by the anti-vax movement.
What is it about vaccines?
This publication, also from CIA, explains what motivates some individuals to become so strongly against vaccination.
Anti-Vaccine Organizations in colorado
List of the major antivaccine organizations operating in Colorado to undermine public health.
national anti-vaccine organizations
List of the major anti-vaccine organizations operative at the national (and state) levels to undermine public health
the disinfomation dozen
A report put together by the Center for Countering Digital Hate and Anti-vax Watch which names the 12 individuals responsible for up to 65% of the anti-vaccine rhetoric found on social and other media platforms.
the Anti-vax playbook
A comprehensive report put together by the Center for Countering Digital Hate which outlines the tactics and sophisticated plans of the anti-vax industry to capitalize on the opportunity to sow distrust and fear of medical communities and institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
further resources
The following organizations are excellent resources to learn more about the anti-vaccine movement and how to combat it.