The Stigmatisation of the Unvaccinated During COVID-19 : Unpacking the Reactions to a Lancet Letter

A letter to the editor published in The Lancet in November 2021 about the unjustified stigmatisation of people without COVID-19 vaccination attracted international attention (top 5% of all articles). But it also led to unexpected reactions from citizens, doctors and scientists to the author: 88 emails, two rebuttals in The Lancet and an attempt of pre-emptive censorship by a university representative. The emails expressed gratitude for the letter and great concern about social coexistence after the pandemic, illustrating how not only courage but also humanity unfold in the face of an insecure and increasingly divided society. During a pandemic we are all ultimately part of the same human community, regardless of our vaccination status. With a foreword by Martin Kulldorff, former professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, this is a timely document that not only enlightens, but also inspires reflection and calls for action.