The not-so-funny side of anti-vax conspiracy fantasists

Not content with on-line dis-information, anti-vaxxers have moved from Cyber Space into Wellingtonian's letterboxes.

Several households have passed on copies of a leaflet entitled "Vaccinate Aotearoa" to this blogger. The leaflets are professionally designed and, and at first glance appear official information from the Ministry of Health.

Front:

Reverse:

One such leaflet was delivered to my partner's letterbox. She pointed to it and asked me if I had received one.  I barely glanced at it, replying, "no, I haven't". (I don't live in Wellington City.) She casually suggested I have a closer look at it.

I did.

The first thing that leapt out at me was the sub-title:

Jabbing our way to a "safer" New Zealand?

The question-mark immediately suggested that this document was not what it appeared to be. Then the side-bar in black box:

Book your next 120 Boosters today!

I look at the reverse; the page was covered in the word "satire" in barely perceptible, pale lavender.  In dim light, or someone with low-vision, it would have been barely discernible.

The bottom of the front had a disclaimer in tiny writing, again hard to make out by anyone without good eyesight. It states, in part:

"Note: This is NOT an official government document. IT IS DESIGNED TO MAKE YOU THINK. Did it make you consider what lies ahead? If yes, get informed at www.VoicesForFreedom.co.nz"

The main argument on the leaflet is that booster vaccination will be required every two weeks. The dates listed are: 15 December, 1 January, 15 January, 1 February, 15 February, and 1 March.

Those dates, plus the claim that "120 boosters" will be required is an outright lie.

The current length of time between the second vaccination and the third (booster), is six months:

You will be eligible once 6 months have passed since your primary course.

Government is considering reducing the period to five months, as covid has mutated to the new Omicron Strain. University of Auckland vaccinologist, Dr Helen Petousis-Harris, agreed that a shorter time between second and booster would be desirable:

"I'd be going more with five months - not too soon. You do really need to give [the vaccine] time. And also we have to be able to manage is logistically as well."

"Voices for Freedom" is a well known anti-vaccination group, notorious for spreading cherry-picked facts at best, and outright dis-information at worst.

The leaflet engages in naked fear mongering by advising those receiving the vaccine arrange for "hospital observation and a crash cart (for resuscitation)... for your future booster doses. Death does not qualify you for vaccine exemption."

When this blogger showed the leaflet to a vaccine hesitant/anti-vax friend, she dismissed it as more "vaccine stuff" from the government. When I asked her to have a closer look at it, she slowly realised the document was not what it seemed.

When I explained it was bogus and was from "Voices for Freedom", she was disgusted. For her, it crossed a line. Imitating official government documentation to fool people, including her, was upsetting.  Unsurpringly, people do not like having the wool pulled over their eyes and she was not happy with "Voices for Freedom" attempting to deceive her.

The misleading "legitamacy" of the leaflet can be better understood when comparing the formatting of the leaflet with actual covid19 vaccination station colours:

Equally repellent is that "Voices for Freedom" have been assisting anti-vaxxers/maskers exploit the advocacy-group, Disabled Persons Assembly NZ, to gain mask-wearing exemptions. There appears no depth that "Voices for Freedom" will not stoop to.

Anti-vaxxers and other conspiracy fantasists have at the core of their beliefs that the Deep State is engaged in vaccination to "control the population". Whether by a campaign of fear or by the science fictional micro-chip supposedly hidden in the vaccine solution - the Deep State, Globalists, and a hidden cabal of satanic Hollywood paedophiles are supposedly engaging in lies and misinformation to control our minds.

It is a bizarrely ironic that it is anti-vaxxers themselves who are exploiting half-truths, dis-information, and outright fantasies to  manipulate the public.

Whether the ludicrous mask-while-sex claim:

-- or equally ludicrous magnetic super powers:

-- or fake government "information leaflets" from "Voices for Freedom", anti-vaxxers are engaging in the very deceptive tactics that they accuse their Deep State/Globalist foes of doing.

Wouldn't it be hilarious (in gallows-style of humour) if  the anti-vaccination movement was itself, unwittingly, part of a vast, global conspiracy?

Where does the rabbit-hole end?

A movement that is predicated on constructed lies to manipulate and deceive people to gain followers - is a House of Cards.

Postscript

The "Voices for Freedom" leaflet ended up in the In Tray of a community residential/health facility where this blogger is occassionally assigned to. Staff had mistaken the propaganda sheet for an official government covid19 vaccination document.

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References

MoH: COVID-19 - Vaccine boosters

RNZ: Doctors ready for speedy booster roll-out ahead of Cabinet decision

RNZ: Omicron - Experts advise speeding up vaccine booster doses after variant detected in MIQ

Newshub: Coronavirus - Every claim about COVID-19 made by anti-lockdown group Voices for Freedom debunked by scientists

Twitter: @AngelaCuming - Disabled Persons Assembly - mask exemption

Additional

Newshub: Coronavirus - Growing amount of content online that will make your 'hair curl and fall out' - NetSafe

The Spinoff: The Side Eye’s Two New Zealands: Ella remembers the Spanish flu

Truthout: Conspiracy Theories Are Killing Us — and Trump’s Departure Hasn’t Ended Them

The Conversation: How anti-vaxxers, conspiracy theorists, and the far-right came together over COVID

Other Blogs

Bowalley Road: The Longest Year.

The Knightly Views: Covid ‘protest’ straight from agitation playbook

The Standard: Down the rabbit hole

Werewolf: Gordon Campbell on fostering the culture of Covid complaint

Previous related blogposts

The funny side of anti-vax conspiracy fantasists

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Acknowledgement: Shaun Yeo

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