As the global vaccination effort prepares to get under way, there is an urgent need for a parallel inoculation process that deploys words. The right words can help fight outbreaks of vaccine hesitancy and scepticism, outright disbelief in science and distrust of government intentions and recommendations.
This matters. Consider the situation in Britain, the western first country to approve a Covid-19 vaccine. Days ahead of this week's launch of the mass vaccination programme, a YouGov opinion poll found that more than one-third of the British public was unlikely to take the injections. Meanwhile, nearly half of the respondents said they were worried the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine wouldn't be safe and 55 per cent expressed some apprehension about potential side-effects.
In the US, where the Food and Drug Administration’s vaccine advisory committee will review the Pfizer data on Thursday, preparatory to granting authorisation, a mass vaccination process could start as early as Friday evening. But such a development may not be universally cheered. A new Pew Research poll of Americans found that 39 per cent of the respondents would definitely or probably not get the jab, though about half of this group were willing to reconsider. And 21 per cent declared they did not intend to get vaccinated and were “pretty certain” more information wouldn’t change their mind.
Read More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Pew's findings are only marginally better than the disquieting revelations of a survey published in September by the Kaiser Family Foundation. The non-profit, which is considered authoritative on healthcare analysis and statistics, ascertained that more than two-thirds of Americans were worried that US President Donald Trump was rushing the vaccines for political reasons ahead of the November 3 general election. Mr Trump himself subsequently stoked those suspicions by accusing Pfizer and BioNTech, the small German company that developed the vaccine, of playing politics. He claimed that they deliberately delayed the good news announcement until after election day, in order to deprive him of a "vaccine win". Ozlem Tureci and Ugur Sahin, the married doctors who co-founded BioNTech, have countered as follows: "Clinical trials are highly regulated, and this is something which you cannot really delay or stop or expedite."
Even so, the wrangling must surely heighten any concerns that already existed. Noel Brewer, a professor at North Carolina University’s School of Global Public Health, recently noted that the very name chosen by the US government for its coronavirus vaccines development programme was unfortunate. “Operation Warp Speed”, as the programme is called, emphasises quickness, which in itself could sow doubt about the vaccine’s quality and safety.
Finally, of course, there is the global movement against vaccines. Though these so-called anti-vaxxers are only a relatively small group, they have an outsize presence online and are excessively loud in their rejection of lockdowns, masks and social distancing as well.
It's not particularly surprising then that public confidence in the coronavirus vaccines needs to be carefully nurtured, using effective vocabulary. It's the same for pandemic restrictions, too. Political strategist Frank Luntz recently offered a rundown of the most persuasive terminology to get Americans, particularly those belonging to Mr Trump's Republican Party, to take Covid-19 seriously. "Stay-at-home order" works better than "lockdown", he said, as does the word "protocols" instead of "mandates", and "pandemic" rather than "Covid-19" or "coronavirus".
He should know. For decades, Mr Luntz has helped Republicans find the right words to dominate every political issue. At one time, he even produced a 500-page manual every year, which recommended the most effective terminology for Republicans to express their worldview and persuade voters of the justice of their cause. His prescriptions included the need for nuance. Rather than criticising the “government”, Republicans should bash “Washington”, with all the connotations of endless regulations and an unslakeable thirst for tax dollars. Use “climate change” rather than the more frightening term “global warming”. Accordingly, Mr Luntz’s diagnosis of the right way to discuss the virus is instructive.
The Luntz technique of persuasive political lexicography has been called "framing" by George Lakoff, a University of California Berkeley professor of linguistics and cognitive science. In the late 1990s, Mr Lakoff suggested that Republicans, under Mr Luntz's tutelage, were deliberately using a frame to influence the debate on taxes. They incessantly spoke about "tax relief", which suggested that taxes are an affliction and that heroes were the ones who relieved the pain by reducing taxes. But taxes, said the professor, could also justifiably be portrayed as the "dues" owed by every American, a basic issue of patriotism that paints tax dodgers as people who get something for free at the expense of their country.
A few weeks ago, Mr Lakoff returned to the idea of patriotism as a framing tactic in the specific context of the pandemic. “Mask-wearing is patriotic,” he said. “It’s about caring about your fellow citizens” – which is the very basis of democracy.
So, too, surely the need to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. Vaccines are most effective when the overwhelming majority of the population consents to take them. But building public trust in vaccines is not easy because they prevent rather than cure disease and, as with many things, the unknown can be frightening.
An effective vaccination campaign would need to address that fear, while promoting a sense of solidarity with others and advocating the greater common good.
Framing matters. Words fill the frame, the mental structure, and drive action. It’s a point worth noting in all politics, everywhere, but may never have been as important as in a pandemic.
Rashmee Roshan Lall is a columnist for The National
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
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Day 3, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Lahiru Gamage, the Sri Lanka pace bowler, has had to play a lot of cricket to earn a shot at the top level. The 29-year-old debutant first played a first-class game 11 years ago. His first Test wicket was one to savour, bowling Pakistan opener Shan Masood through the gate. It set the rot in motion for Pakistan’s batting.
Stat of the day – 73 Haris Sohail took 73 balls to hit a boundary. Which is a peculiar quirk, given the aggressive intent he showed from the off. Pakistan’s batsmen were implored to attack Rangana Herath after their implosion against his left-arm spin in Abu Dhabi. Haris did his best to oblige, smacking the second ball he faced for a huge straight six.
The verdict One year ago, when Pakistan played their first day-night Test at this ground, they held a 222-run lead over West Indies on first innings. The away side still pushed their hosts relatively close on the final night. With the opposite almost exactly the case this time around, Pakistan still have to hope they can salvage a win from somewhere.
EA Sports FC 25
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
THE DETAILS
Solo: A Star Wars Story
Director: Ron Howard
2/5
Brief scoreline:
Burnley 3
Barnes 63', 70', Berg Gudmundsson 75'
Southampton 3
Man of the match
Ashley Barnes (Burnley)
Roll of honour 2019-2020
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Hurricanes
Runners up: Bahrain
West Asia Premiership
Winners: Bahrain
Runners up: UAE Premiership
UAE Premiership
Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes
UAE Division One
Winners: Abu Dhabi Saracens
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes II
UAE Division Two
Winners: Barrelhouse
Runners up: RAK Rugby
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Sebastian Stefan, Sebastian Morar and Claudia Pacurar
Based: Dubai, UAE
Founded: 2014
Number of employees: 36
Sector: Logistics
Raised: $2.5 million
Investors: DP World, Prime Venture Partners and family offices in Saudi Arabia and the UAE
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
McLaren GT specs
Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed
Power: 620bhp
Torque: 630Nm
Price: Dh875,000
On sale: now
Profile
Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari
Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.
Number of employees: Over 50
Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised
Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital
Sector of operation: Transport
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
How will Gen Alpha invest?
Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.
“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.
Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.
He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.
Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
(All games 4-3pm kick UAE time) Bayern Munich v Augsburg, Borussia Dortmund v Bayer Leverkusen, Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin, Wolfsburg v Mainz , Eintracht Frankfurt v Freiburg, Union Berlin v RB Leipzig, Cologne v Schalke , Werder Bremen v Borussia Monchengladbach, Stuttgart v Arminia Bielefeld
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ABU%20DHABI%20CARD
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A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
Company%20Profile
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