The Covid-19 pandemic has caused a global health crisis that has crippled leading economies worldwide. Since the beginning of the pandemic in late 2019, millions of lives have been lost. Many are still battling for survival in overcrowded hospital wards. Healthcare systems all over the globe are in tatters, with unexpected loopholes exposed. Reaching herd immunity through swift vaccination drives is the one solution in sight. Unfortunately, many in Pakistan are finding it difficult to disregard conspiracy theories freely circulating on social media regarding the efficacy and possible side-effects of the Covid-19 vaccines.

In a paper titled, Factors associated with the belief in Covid-19 related conspiracy theories in Pakistan, researchers from Pakistan and the US have identified several factors that shape tendencies to believe in conspiracy theories regarding vaccination among Pakistani adults.

With its limited resources, a troubled economy and an overburdened healthcare system, a country like Pakistan cannot afford public non-compliance of Covid-related safety measures.

Vaccine hesitancy is not new to the country. A considerable segment of the population continues to harbour a troubling attitude towards vaccination in general. Pakistan is one of only two countries where polio remains endemic, primarily due to the failure of vaccination drives.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic has substantially impacted the general population, a lot more than polio, doubts regarding its existence and myths surrounding its nature can have far-reaching consequences for the health safety of millions. To fully grasp the role played by belief in Covid-related conspiracy theories in adding to the resistance towards vaccination, the researchers examined how the perceived risk of Covid-19, sense of national identity, and reliance on traditional and social media shape popular beliefs in conspiracy theories.

To study these phenomena that researchers conducted an online survey. Most participants surveyed were aged between 18 and 49 years. As a country with a massive youth population, it is only fair that the researchers should have decided to take them as their primary study group. Also, those below fifty are the ones who rely heavily on social media, in particular as a source of information.

Speaking to TNS, Muhammad Ittefaq, one of the four researchers, explained that theirs was the first study of its kind. The paper published in Health, Risk and Society Journal “is the first attempt to offer empirical insights emerging from Pakistan, based on the data collected at the start of the pandemic that sheds light on the factors associated with people’s beliefs in Covid-19-related conspiracy theories.”

Since the Covid-19 pandemic has substantially impacted the general population, a lot more than polio, doubts regarding its existence and myths surrounding its nature can have far-reaching consequences for the safety of millions.

The research attempts to find answers to why Pakistani adults are prone to accepting theories with no scientific standing. The researchers hypothesised that risk perception is one significant factor that determines whether one would fall prey to false information or not. The higher the perceived risk of disease, the less likely people might be to believe in conspiracy theories related to it. In the case of the current pandemic, government officials, public figures, and media influencers downplayed the impact of the pandemic by attending massive gatherings, calling regular in-person press conferences, holding parties, and regularly posting images on social media reduced the risk perception of ordinary Pakistanis.

“We tend to believe that Western propaganda is the most difficult to grasp,” says Ittefaq. A collective sense of shared national identity can impact the way people respond to a conspiracy theory. As a nation, focusing on cooperating rather than competing during a crisis can positively affect in-group behaviour patterns. Instead of finding people and countries to blame for causing a crisis, helping mitigate its impact by following required measures is negatively proportional to belief in conspiracy theories.

The research highlights that trust in traditional media sources can significantly reduce the risk of public reliance on conspiracy theories. It was found that “misinformation about Covid-19 has proliferated via social media.” This makes social media a less reliable source of information in the Covid-19 crisis. Soon after the vaccination drive began, videos started circulating on social media where people claimed those receiving vaccination would die within two years. Others argued that vaccination was a method of mass mind-control by Isreal.

In total, 501 Pakistani adults completed the research questionnaire. The belief in conspiracy theories was examined based on the hypotheses mentioned above and four conspiracy theories, including one that coronavirus is a bioweapon, a hoax for financial gains, a conspiracy to establish an authoritarian government, and a way to cover up for an impending global economic crisis.

Overall, the study’s findings revealed a need for further research to understand the negative relationship between risk perception and conspiracy theories, as well as national identity and suspension of false information in times of crisis. There is much information available about the role of social and traditional media in information dissemination; however, other factors must be studied closely.

The conspiracy theories have caused a significant delay in vaccination. Pakistan is in no shape to afford further reluctance. Covid-19 is a fatal virus that has impacted millions of lives globally. The government, media and researchers have crucial roles to play in these trying times. It is absolutely necessary to properly educate, convince and provide vaccination to the public at the earliest, so that the society can return to a state of normalcy.

The writer is a staff member