Why a Former Anti-Vax Influencer Got Her COVID-19 Shot

As vaccination rates slow, a Dallas woman who once garnered hundreds of thousands of social followers by expressing doubt about the safety of inoculations now says, “I trust the science.”

I Used to be an Antivaxxer.

 Formerly Anti-Vax Parents Are Turning Pro-Vaccine Because of the Pandemic

Anti-vaccine rhetoric may have been on the rise during the pandemic, but parents across the country who were once against vaccines have become big supporters of them. After sorting through misinformation, they struggle to understand their former community's reaction to COVID-19.

The AP spoke to mothers who once identified as anti-vaccine and counted themselves among Kennedy’s most devoted followers.

“I thought he was heroic, because he was saying the things publicly that other people were too afraid to say,” said Lydia Greene.

Why do people believe medical misinformation?

Anxiety, confusion, and distrust of institutions drive people to accept harmful medical myths, researchers say. A mother’s experience shows the allure of compelling but unproven tales.

Why do people believe medical misinformation?

 As experts warn about the spread of COVID-19 misinformation in online parent groups, one mom is speaking out about how she inadvertently became an anti-vaccine influencer. 

Why do people believe medical misinformation?

 As experts warn about the spread of COVID-19 misinformation in online parent groups, one mom is speaking out about how she inadvertently became an anti-vaccine influencer. 

 This week, Chelsea sits down with Heather Simpson, a mom and former anti-vax influencer-turned vaccine advocate. 

 When COVID-19 put vaccine safety into the spotlight, Lydia Greene re-examined her past beliefs — and now hopes she can help others do the same. 

 Formerly Anti-Vax Parents Are Turning Pro-Vaccine Because of the Pandemic

Anti-vaccine rhetoric may have been on the rise during the pandemic, but parents across the country who were once against vaccines have become big supporters of them. After sorting through misinformation, they struggle to understand their former community's reaction to COVID-19.

 I am far from the only person to walk this road. Lydia Greene, a former anti-vaxxer and now trained nurse and co-founder of Back to the Vax, a website aimed at sharing evidence-based information about vaccines, experienced the leap from consuming health misinformation to developing a full-blown distrust of institutions, which descended into conspiratorial beliefs.  

The AP spoke to mothers who once identified as anti-vaccine and counted themselves among Kennedy’s most devoted followers.

“I thought he was heroic, because he was saying the things publicly that other people were too afraid to say,” said Lydia Greene.

Former vaccine hesitant mother shares story hoping others come 'Back to the Vaxx'

 In the last three years, the Alberta mother has brought three children up to date on their immunizations, after 12 years of being a self proclaimed ‘anti-vaxxer.’ Carly Robinson sits down with Lydia Greene. 

Nearly one-third of US parents are opposed to vaccinating their kids against Covid – so one-time vaccine skeptics are helping families find evidence-based answers

  The anti-vaxxers who came in from the cold

For years, three women refused routine immunizations for their children. Then something remarkable happened: they changed their mind

Why do people believe medical misinformation?

Anxiety, confusion, and distrust of institutions drive people to accept harmful medical myths, researchers say. A mother’s experience shows the allure of compelling but unproven tales.

A discussion moderated by Karen Ernst from Voices for Vaccines. Featuring Heather and I as former antivax moms, Isaac Lindenberger who grew up unvaccinated, and Dr Peter Sears a provaccine doctor and brother to antivaxxer Dr Bob Sears. It was a fun discussion and we felt like The Super Friends after. Enjoy!

A discussion moderated by Karen Ernst from Voices for Vaccines. Featuring Dr Nicole Baldwin, pediatrician and former antivax mother Lydia Greene, along with their daughters Kendall and Lilly. We discuss the risks and benefits and our daughters weigh in on covid and the vaccine. 

We first discovered Lydia, co-founder of Back to the Vax, on Twitter. 

Her feed was filled with helpful resources, vaccine related myth busting, and honest tales of her journey breaking free from the anti-vax community and making health and immunization based choices based on scientific facts rather than hateful anti-vax rhetoric and dangerous myths and misconceptions.

For a long while, Lydia Greene would forgo many vaccines for her and her children, believing them akin to poison. How did she go from an antivaxxer to administering her first vaccine as a nurse.

Lydia's very first podcast appearance on changing her mind about vaccinations. 

The main link is part 1. 

Part:2 https://anchor.fm/the-vaccination-station/episodes/Interview-with-Heather-Simpson-Part-II-epbmc5

On top of vaccines they have a chat about moose in Canada. 

Dr Richard Turner interviews Lydia about the antivax movement and the common tropes that are not true. 

We delve into the cult like aspects of the antivax movement, along with the conspiracies we toyed around with as antivaxxers. 

In this second episode in our series on vaccine confidence, we’ll hear from a mother who went from being an anti-vaxxer to an advocate for vaccines. 

We speak to Tom and Ben, nurse practitioners about what led us down this road, and the gift of hindsight. 

 Lydia Greene describes her journey to become an antivaxer and her subsequent journey back to science-based decisions. Along the way she describes moments of unreality brought on by cognitive dissonance and some of the emotional decisions that lead her to begin making the wrong decisions.