Opinion: The ‘anti-vax’ label is a problem, and it needs to be retired

Dr. Latif Murji is the physician lead of the VaxFacts Clinic, a rural family physician, and lecturer at the University of Toronto. Dr. Eric Nelson is a physician at VaxFacts Clinic, a rural family physician, and Assistant Professor at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.

The landscape of this pandemic is constantly shifting. It has given us waves of increasing case counts, viral variants, travel restrictions, mask mandates and frequently changing guidelines, all tethered to messaging that has often been inconsistent. People have had to wrap their heads around complicated ideas and mRNA technology, polymerase chain reaction testing and epidemiology. It’s no wonder that some have found the past two years challenging to navigate.

Since early 2021, the VaxFacts Clinic has been operating out of Scarborough Health Network to clear the air on vaccines. The model is simple: provide individuals with a confidential, judgment-free, 20-minute consultation with a physician to address any concerns around the COVID-19 vaccines. These sessions aim to cultivate a safe space for individuals and families to speak about the vaccine without fear of being labelled or stigmatized for their hesitancy.

Is the goal to “get people vaccinated?” Yes and no. Our priority is an evidence-based approach to addressing concerns. We start by listening and understanding each individual’s unique circumstances before sharing the science. In doing this, we can address fears head on, allowing individuals to make informed decisions about vaccination. What’s the result? Approximately 84 per cent of hesitant individuals who speak to a VaxFacts physician choose to get vaccinated after the call.

It may surprise you to hear that now, two years into this pandemic, there is still demand for our services – that there remain individuals who are unvaccinated, vaccine-hesitant or question the need for a vaccine against COVID-19. Colleagues who hear about our work often wonder if our days are spent debunking whimsical conspiracy theories or chipping away at fanciful flights of pseudoscience, but this couldn’t be further from the truth; aside from the odd eccentric case, the vast majority of callers have reasonable and legitimate questions about the vaccine.

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The range of folks accessing VaxFacts are diverse. They hail from coast to coast, from inner-city Toronto to remote northern communities; they are refugees, immigrants and Canadian-born alike. Individuals across all socioeconomic and educational backgrounds have picked up the phone to tackle their uncertainties around getting jabbed. Some are navigating personal challenges, such as the timing of their vaccine after recovering from COVID-19, or contemplating the dosing interval for their child who is returning to school. Some are pregnant or breastfeeding, while others have complex medical histories or allergies and wonder how they will tolerate the vaccine.

Some are fearful of the risks of the vaccine and are dubious of its efficacy. Others have questions that extend beyond vaccines and are frustrated with how the pandemic has been managed or wonder why ivermectin is not a recommended therapy for COVID-19. Some wish to discuss why we must continue to wear masks and physically distance or why vaccine mandates exist. It’s through open conversations that we’re able to facilitate clarity and understanding, despite sometimes differing beliefs or ways of thinking.

The truly “anti-vax” – those who have taken a stand against vaccinations for various reasons – are a rare group. These ideas are often fuelled by misinformation, misunderstanding or conspiracy. In fact, most of our callers actually fear being associated with this group: “Listen doc, I’m not ‘anti-vax,’ I just don’t know what to do.”

We hear this disclaimer a lot, and we get it. The vaccine-hesitant and vaccine-cautious are often mislabelled as “anti-vax” – conjuring imagery of the conspiracy-crazed, the science-ignorant and the selfish. These broad strokes leave people feeling belittled, when the path forward was simply for their personal circumstances to be heard and addressed with empathy and evidence-based science.

The truth is that most individuals who access the VaxFacts Clinic are hesitant for a reason, and it takes listening and sharing in understanding to address this. The label of “anti-vax” for all people who are unvaccinated is unhelpful. The effect of such judgment is shame and resentment, pushing those with uncertainty farther into the fringe. This means missing an opportunity to have a conversation.

We are all tired of COVID-19 and want to move on, but let’s take an inclusive path forward that maximizes understanding around personal and public safety without the burden of opposition. So maybe it’s time to get rid of the term “anti-vax” in favour of shared understanding, meaningful conversation and an approach based in evidence.

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