Combating Vaccine Hesitancy

Context: Vaccine hesitancy has the potential to dent the fight against a pandemic.

Defining vaccine hesitancy: According to the World Health Organization, vaccine hesitancy is defined as a reluctance or refusal to vaccinate despite the availability of vaccine services.

• According to the World Economic Forum/Ipsos global survey, COVID-19 vaccination intent in India (87%) exceeds the global (15-country) average of 73%.

Reasons for vaccine hesitancy

• Susceptibility to misinformation: In times of uncertainty due to an intricate combination of cognitive, social and algorithmic biases, i.e., information overload and limited attention spans.
  • E.g. In Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, there was a dip in the uptake of oral polio vaccine due to misconceptions that the vaccine led to illness and infertility.
• Concerns over safety, efficacy, and side effects: due to the record-breaking timelines of the vaccines, competition among several companies, misinformation, and religious taboos.
• Reflected in many surveys: According to a survey conducted by LocalCircles (a community social media platform), about 69% of the respondents will not rush to vaccinate themselves against the pandemic.

Way forward: For Combating Vaccine Hesitancy

• Adopt the idea of libertarian paternalism: A concept of behavioural science, to steer people’s behaviour towards vaccination while still respecting their freedom of choice.
• Persuade swing population to take vaccination: through scientific facts and proper communication. 
• Inculcate the habit of inquisitive temper: to fact-check any news related to COVID-19 vaccines.
• Use celebrity effect: Celebrities can serve as agents of positive social change, erase scepticism associated with vaccine adoption and prompt information-seeking and preventative behaviours.
• Tackling the infodemic: by debunking the  myths, misinformation and fake news.