Season 2 - Episode 6 - Ideology

In today’s episode we will be exploring the intersection between political ideology and vaccine hesitancy. What fuels vaccine hesitancy? Who is affected by it and what will it mean for Australia’s COVID recovery? We’ll take a trip to a community on Australia’s east coast which has been referred to as the country’s 'anti-vax capital'. We know that misinformation and political ideology influences adults - but how is it affecting our young people? And is there anyone trying to help? Producer/Presenter: Isabella Podwinski
Story 1: Australia’s vaccination campaign is only just starting to gather momentum for those over the age of fifty. But new research is indicating a growing section of Australia’s political-right are unlikely to sign up for the COVID jab. Jack Alfonso explores where this disproportionate growth comes from, and whether or not Australia will see politicisation of the vaccine as observed overseas.
 
Story 2: Regardless of what position you fall on the political spectrum, people across the board seem to be more hesitant than usual when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine. This paints a worrying picture as we have to achieve a high level of vaccination to reach herd immunity. Our next story will take us to NSW’s north coast, where reporter Warwick Jones investigates the 'anti-vax capital of Australia'. How are they responding to the COVID-19 vaccine? and what kind of ramifications will this have on the state’s road to recovery?
 
Story 3: The COVID-19 vaccination process has been one fraught with oppositions; from libertarians protecting their individual rights to the bohemians of Byron Bay. Liam Healy talks to a member of Australians vs the Agenda,  an anti-vax group who took to the streets of Melbourne last February to protest the government’s COVID vaccines roll out. 
 
Story 4: Young people are becoming more and more tech savvy by the day. This exposes them to all different kinds of information. But this information can be complicated, divisive and sometimes false, as we’ve seen with COVID-19 conspiracies and vaccine scepticism. Riley Galloway explores how misinformation is affecting children and teens and how our education system is playing catch up.
 
Find us on twitter: @cover_podcast 
 
To read up-to-date information on Australia’s vaccine rollout...  always check the government health website: https://www.health.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/covid-19-vaccines 
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