Did the pandemic prove that vaccines are dangerous?

In a Netflix special, comedian Joe Rogan expresses a dramatic shift in his beliefs and trust in information due to the experiences and events surrounding COVID. Where he once had a strong faith in vaccines and mainstream historical events, after the pandemic, he became highly skeptical and started to believe in various conspiracy theories, using hyperbolic examples like doubting the moon landing and believing in Pizzagate to highlight this newfound skepticism.

Hyperbole or not, this is an excellent example of the correlation between believing in COVID conspiracies and an increase in general conspiratorial beliefs. Studies show that belief in one conspiracy theory often leads to belief in others.

Because many conspiracy theories share similar underlying themes, such as distrust in authorities or the idea of hidden, powerful groups controlling events, once someone accepts one conspiracy theory, they become more receptive to others that fit within this worldview. They become trapped in a self-reinforcing cycle of conspiratorial thinking.

But why did Joe Rogan and others become skeptical of vaccines in the first place when vaccines have a proven track record of eradicating or controlling diseases like smallpox, polio, and measles, significantly reducing morbidity and mortality worldwide?

The COVID vaccines underwent rigorous testing in large-scale clinical trials involving tens of thousands of participants to ensure their safety and efficacy, and multiple studies have shown that vaccines reduce the severity of the disease, lower the risk of hospitalization, and decrease mortality rates. Yet many think they’re the cause of countless deaths and disabilities.