The lingering challenge: addressing vaccine hesitancy in a post-pandemic world
Language English Country Czech Republic Media print
Document type Historical Article, Journal Article
PubMed
38309708
DOI
10.21101/cejph.a7593
Knihovny.cz E-resources
- Keywords
- COVID-19, anti-vaxxers, pandemic, politics, social media, vaccine, vaccine hesitancy,
- MeSH
- Influenza, Human * MeSH
- COVID-19 * epidemiology prevention & control MeSH
- History, 20th Century MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Vaccination Hesitancy MeSH
- Influenza Pandemic, 1918-1919 * MeSH
- Pandemics prevention & control MeSH
- RNA, Viral MeSH
- Vaccination MeSH
- COVID-19 Vaccines MeSH
- Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype * MeSH
- Check Tag
- History, 20th Century MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Historical Article MeSH
- Geographicals
- United States MeSH
- Names of Substances
- RNA, Viral MeSH
- COVID-19 Vaccines MeSH
Last time the world faced a deadly pandemic was the H1N1 Spanish flu in 1918, which affected almost one-third of the world's population (500 million people). Since then, almost 100 years later, we are now facing another pandemic of the SARS-CoV2 virus (COVID-19), which is still endemic to this day. As the technology evolved during those 100 years, an effective vaccine for COVID-19 was produced within only a year, a huge feat. But, unfortunately, due to its fast development, another force would arise limiting the impact of the vaccine: vaccine hesitancy and anti-vaxxers, which John Hopkins and the World Health Organization call the biggest current threat to global health. From politics to social media, it is clear that there has been a rapid spread of misinformation, resulting in hesitancy, especially from sociopolitically motivated people popularly referred to as anti-vaxxers. However, a second group of vaccine-hesitant people have also emerged, who are uneducated and remain undecided about vaccination mostly due to safety concerns. They come under the massive influence of anti-vaxxers and anti-vaccine propaganda through social media and politicians, which often make bold claims and huge headlines. To combat vaccine hesitancy, it is crucial that we debunk these conspiracy theories and misinformation that so many believe in, with factual, data-based information. Actively spreading correct information about the vaccines, such as disclosing the rigorous developmental processes and validation of safety data by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), assurance for the unlikeliness of getting a lethal side effect along with tremendous health benefits, will encourage people for safe vaccination against COVID-19 and other potential infectious diseases in the future. This article discusses the role of anti-vaxxers and vaccine-hesitant groups, electronic social media, and politics in vaccine hesitancy among people. It describes the strategies to combat the roadblocks in the vaccination programmes and health benefits, offered by recent advances in scientific and technological developments.
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