09/08/2022
Even though the COVID-19 vaccine is available to millions around the world, some people are yet to accept it, despite its availability.
Researchers refer to this phenomenon as "vaccine hesitancy." The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) describes it as “delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccines despite availability of vaccination services.”
But what renders people unsure about accepting any given vaccine? And is vaccine hesitancy something that science communicators can help resolve?
Theories about the reasons behind people’s vaccine-related worries abound, and they may all hold some truth. Some researchers surmise that what makes people hesitant about whether or not they should accept a vaccine is the lack of access to accurate, complete information trusted sources about that vaccine.
Others say that it all comes down to the spread of willful dis- and misinformationTrusted Source about vaccination. Yet others point out that, during the COVID-19 pandemic, those belonging to some historically marginalized communities, such as Black Americans, were the most likely to be hesitant about COVID-19 vaccines.
This is due to a long history of medical experimentation and gaslighting experienced by this community, as well as to present experiences of racism and discrimination when attempting to access healthcare.
But the lack of trust in scientists and public health authorities spreads much farther and deeper, and it may be a core factor in vaccine hesitancy around the world.
In this installment of the In Conversation podcast, we spoke with Prof. Maya Goldenberg, who is a professor of philosophy at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, and the author of Vaccine Hesitancy: Public Trust, Expertise, and the War on Science.
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