COVID-19 and Vaccination: Do They “Chip” or “Kill”?

Abstract

The author of the article focuses on understanding the problems that have arisen (mainly in Russia) in connection with the creation, production and distribution of vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 virus (Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2; previously 2019-nCoV – novel coronavirus), which causes the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The origins of the vaccination situation in the country are associated with the anti-vaccination movement in general and its Russian specifics. The study was carried out during a pandemic from the standpoint of medical and anthropological approaches (using “qualitative” methods of analysis) on the material of Internet sources, mainly networks, and surveys of respondents of different sex, age, social and educational status. The identified problems can be grouped into several blocks: assessment by potential consumers of the production of domestic vaccines – their quality, the degree of approbation before entering the market; development of a strategy for their use (varying at different stages) – acceptance of the idea of vaccination or rejection of it for various reasons; the choice of the timing of vaccination and a specific vaccine; reactions to the consequences of vaccination; attitude towards the vaccination campaign (including legislative messages and campaigning) at different stages. All of them are in one way or another associated with political, medical and cultural contexts; any of them involved both specialists (politicians, doctors of various levels – including prominent scientists, as well as cultural figures), and ordinary citizens who found themselves in a difficult situation of choice and decision-making. The article, in addition to a general understanding of the problems, offers illustrative materials to assess the peculiarities of attitudes towards vaccination of various individuals and groups of the population.