Photo courtesy of James McCauley, Shuttershock
COVID-19 has reared its ugly face for about a year now and shows few signs of going away. However, with many celebrities and public figures advocating for the vaccine and staying safe, the spread of the virus could begin to slow down.
Celebrities’ opinions on the vaccine and virus can have an impact on their fans and what they think. The urge for the vaccine has been noted by many important figures, such as Elton John, who has a fan base of many different generations. ”I am proud to join forces with @themichaelcaine to promote the fantastic @NHSEngland #COVIDVaccine program, demonstrating how quick and easy it is to get vaccinated and why it's so important. Let's all come together and do our bit in the fight against this wretched disease.”
With celebrities both receiving and advocating for the vaccine, it raises awareness for how helpful the vaccine can be. Celebrities are pleading with people to wear masks; this is not something new, but with the vaccine, they are trying to get everyone to understand that this is what is needed to go back to normal.
Even though it has been a year since COVID-19 became a global pandemic, there is still a plethora of people who do not believe in the virus and say the vaccine is the government trying to control people. They ridicule celebrities who are following safety precautions and denouncing them on their own personal social media.
Especially for the celebrities who are anti-vaccine such as M.I.A, “But in March, she became vocal about something else. She tweeted to her 650,000 followers: 'if I have to choose the vaccine or chip I’m gonna choose death.'” The “chip” she alludes to is a fast-developing conspiracy theory – pushed heavily by anti-vaxxers and anti-5G campaigners – that the coronavirus is a ploy to mass-vaccinate the world’s population and implant them with a tracking chip.
However, this is not the standard for all people; many know how bad the virus truly is and are following the safety precautions in order to keep themselves and others safe. With more famous figures advocating for the vaccine, COVID-19 safety has become a widespread movement that can hopefully educate and influence people to make the right decisions regarding the vaccine.
stricari@ramapo.edu
