There is no doubt that the appearance and subsequent outbreak of COVID wreaked havoc on the world’s population humanitarianly, medically, socially, politically, and economically.  The death toll, albeit far less than predictions, -unfortunately happened.  The declared pandemic is now considered to be endemic.  We are told that the lockdowns, travel restrictions, and social distancing helped but, above all, the vaccines ‘saved us’, as will the boosters as more information comes to light and more data is gathered, and statistics are revisited.

Vaccinations initially were to have been a matter of choice but with time that changed.  Many things were said during the pandemic which were subsequently changed, contradicted or conveniently ignored.  ‘Herd immunity’ was sidelined it seemed, ‘Zero tolerance’ policies were found to be untenable, and the ‘100% vaccination’ dream is, for some, a nightmare.  Despite unilateral statements that decisions were made on ‘science’ reactions were inconsistent.  It seemed that every different country adopted different and everchanging protocols giving the impression that science was arbitrary.

Governments and those in power along with their medical advisors unanimously and quickly advocated that vaccination was the correct course of action against the pandemic.  Opposing views, despite being made by experienced medical practitioners were quashed by vociferous pro-vaxxers and dismissed as ‘conspiracy theory’.  Anti-vaxxers became anarchists and were ostracized and their opinions, although as scientific as others, were censored.

The Vaccine

The pandemic caught the globe on the hop.  After the discovery of COVID-19 in November 2019 and the declaration of a pandemic on 11 March 2020 there was chaos and confusion.  To test or not to test was not the only question being asked.  Questions were raised regarding quarantine, lock downs, curfews and other restrictive practices; even social distancing rules were variable and doubtful.

Despite the chaos, and within some 9 months, vaccines were developed and rolled out in late 2020 through early 2021 making them the fastest vaccines ever developed.  Previously our drugs and vaccines had a lengthy gestation period being subject to clinical trials and tests.  This cautiousness was a risk mitigation measure and some of us may remember Thalidomide and its associated birth defects which made it “the biggest man‐made medical disaster ever”.

Many people fear needles and injections.  But even more frightening for some has been the prospect of unknown and unproven vaccines.  Despite this fear, and as of September 2022, almost 13 billion doses have been administered with about 70% of the world’s population having at least one jab.  Rolling out a vaccine in a few months has been a challenge for those with the good intentions of promoting vaccines for the good of mankind as well as those whose intentions are to promote profit and power.  In either case there has been one hell of a campaign!

The Marketing

When COVID ‘hit’ the forecasts of gloom and doom created fear.  In dispelling this fear the world was promised a vaccine to give the prospect of a healthy light at the end of a potentially death lined tunnel.  This vaccinal panacea needed to be ‘sold’ but was this through modern day ‘marketing’ by good-intentioned governments or a latter-day ‘manipulation’ by our big-brotherly paternal politicians?

Marketing is about generating interested in a company’s product or service and based on the principles of product, price, place and promotion.  Marketing efforts abounded fairly quickly after the declaration of the pandemic.  According to an early marketeer, John Wanamaker (1838-1922), “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t know which half”.  This may have been true 100 years ago but today we know which target audience has been selected, which audiences or even individuals can be influenced most of the time, and how the advertising message of ‘buy our product’ may be customized to get it through.

COVID vaccines are no different and a five-point strategy was implemented; (1) make it free and easily accessible, (2) make it mandatory, (3) have celebrities and influencers support it, (4) give it ‘exclusivity’ and, (5) make people feel special for indulging.  It worked and if we recall:

• Governments entered into contracts with pharmaceutical companies for vaccine development and planned the roll out of vaccines on a global scale and declared this publicly.
• Initially the need for vaccination was a matter of choice or for ‘front-line’ medical workers but it didn’t take long to make it mandatory to gain access to offices, socializing or, for some countries, access.
• Retired and influential politicians, celebrities and pop-stars were publicly inoculated and told us all to be vaccinated or, according to one country singer, we could be branded a coward.
• People were ‘invited’ to be vaccinated and appointments were given. An ‘artificial demand’ was created while people awaited the roll-out of the vaccine and couldn’t wait to be first in line.
• “I’ve been vaccinated” appeared on social media photos! Just like ‘I’ve voted’ stickers in general elections people were made to believe a public duty had been fulfilled and are ‘special’.

Despite the initial marketing we found out that two doses and boosters rather than one were needed, some brands weren’t acceptable and vaccination only reduced COVID’S virulence.  We also found that some people became ill from the vaccine, some died, and others decided that further vaccination wasn’t for them.  But, and in another time-honored marketing tradition, constant reminders as to the benefits of being vaccinated prevailed.  After-sales reinforcement is essential to maintaining consumer belief in the value of the product they’ve just bought.

The Manipulation?

But with the COVID vaccines it’s about what’s been given or, rather, what people have been convinced to accept rather than what they want.  People did not have to be convinced to buy something but had to be made to believe that they needed to be vaccinated.  This demand was created through an ‘artificial demand’ brought about through the promotion of vaccines rather than any alternatives.  These alternatives were quickly pooh-poohed by those in power and arguments challenging mass vaccination were just as quickly suppressed.

In creating the demand, we were initially told that COVID could cause millions of deaths in a few months just as Spanish ‘Flu had killed between 20 to 50 million in 1918.  A fear was created which was propagated during the ensuing lockdowns, curfews, and other social restrictions.  The imposition of working from home, online meetings and isolationism enhanced people’s insecurity.  The uncertainty of a ‘New Normal’ also fueled fear which was reinforced by a daily onslaught of death tolls and the related message that vaccination was the only way forward.

This message required a vaccine to be produced and produced quickly.  This proved to be relatively simple as the vaccine idea had been around for some time and one ‘inventor’ proclaimed that it only took a weekend to design it.  The rapid approval by medical authorities for their ‘emergency use’ allowed for its use and a ‘general consensus’ amongst everybody that the vaccines would be “OK” also assisted and their roll out against the world’s new pandemic.

People were persuaded that vaccinations were essential as well as being the only viable means of beating the pandemic, or rather staying alive through the following:

1. People were isolated and fed one side of a story.
2. Any opposing views to ‘the story’ and their proponents were suppressed.
3. People were told that their actions would be for the greater good and would not only save lives but decrease their burden on society by avoiding being ill.
4. Protocols for clinical trials and tests as well as ‘due process’ were curtailed in view of the seriousness of the pandemic or, rather the opinions regarding the pandemic.

The combination of fear and isolationism coupled with insecurity and a simple but repetitive message, whether true or false, is a recognised way of manipulating people; in fact they are the ingredients for brainwashing.  Instilling fear and offering a way out is also a means of controlling people and, as in Orwell’s 1984 such behaviour prevailed under the auspices of ‘Big Brother’.

‘1984’ was published in 1949 but the depiction of totalitarianism and controlling populations was not new.  The 1930’s master of propaganda, Goebbels, advocated that if a big enough lie was told often enough and simply enough it would be believed.  He also advocated that unanimity based upon primitive attitudes and self-preservation would prevail to the benefit of those in power.  This benefit can be political power over the masses as well as economic power over the manufacture and supply of vaccines.

Conclusion?

From 2019 to 2022 the world has been under the influence of the COVID Pandemic.  There is no doubt that deaths have occurred but at what economic and ethical cost.  Death tolls are less than forecast which is good news, but the economic cost/fatality runs into millions per fatality and pharmaceutical profits are astronomical.  However, from an ethical standpoint has the world been told the truth or did those in political power and who control the pharmaceutical companies merely reap from the windfall or create it?

The early fearmongering frightened the world and created a demand for vaccination which was met in record time against our ‘Old Normal’ rules.  Imposition of draconian and totalitarian lockdowns increased fear and paranoia of the masses so that when the vaccine became available the governments could be seen as benefactors while the pharmaceutical companies have been given a captive market with an uncontested demand to be supplied.

We have also seen that the initial doom and gloom was exaggerated.  However, we also know that the pandemic statistics are being reviewed and now show that vaccines saved more lives and more deaths were attributable to COVID.  This ‘good news’ reinforces that the vaccinated did ‘the right thing’ and also undermines the views of anti-vaxxers who sought an alternative.

However, and when it comes to manipulating statistics, we should again remember Orwell’s words:

“Who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present controls the past”.

Changing, or reinterpreting previous statistics will control our understanding of the real impact and effects of the pandemic and the efficacy of the vaccines.  Changing the past may allow for a more rapid roll-out of vaccines as well as condoning more ‘emergencies’ and allowing global trials to protect mankind from diseases such as Malaria, or even Monkeypox.  Will the acceptance of a change to establishing new drugs be for the good of mankind, the power of politicians, or the profit of the pharmaceuticals?…and at whose ultimate cost?

Bio:

Malcolm Peart is an UK Chartered Engineer & Chartered Geologist with over thirty-five years’ international experience in multicultural environments on large multidisciplinary infrastructure projects including rail, metro, hydro, airports, tunnels, roads and bridges. Skills include project management, contract administration & procurement, and design & construction management skills as Client, Consultant, and Contractor.