SEATTLE, Washington — Vaccine hesitancy is growing and vaccine-preventable diseases are reemerging. This is a worldwide phenomenon. More pressingly, polls show that significant portions of the populations in countries like the United States, Russia, France and India are unwilling to take COVID-19 vaccines, even after rigorous approval processes. In light of this, one may wonder how global vaccine hesitancy impacts the spread of COVID-19 and what measures effectively promote immunization among reluctant populations.
Vaccine Hesitancy Versus Anti-Vaccination
Vaccine hesitancy is a phenomenon that applies to people who are reluctant to receive vaccinations or vaccinate their children regardless of proven safety. People who are anti-vaccination, or “anti-vaxxers,” belong to a distinct group, though they may also experience vaccine hesitancy. Anti-vaxxers instead affiliate themselves with a movement and culture that politicizes public health measures in the name of personal freedom. Members of this movement argue that vaccinations aren’t safe and challenge laws mandating vaccines among schoolchildren.