Promoting COVID-19 vaccine acceptance: analysis of media messaging in India

Abstract

This study aims to shed light on the limitations in the Indian government’s communication about COVID-19 vaccines through the mass media and how it may have impacted the vaccination rate in the country. The study argues that while vaccine scarcity is an important challenge, vaccine hesitancy and refusal are also major barriers to achieving adequate immunization coverage in India. Using Chadwick’s hybrid media system framework, the study combines data from traditional and social media to evaluate the Indian government’s COVID-19 vaccine campaign, specifically the Public Service Announcements (PSAs) promoting COVID-19 vaccinations. The study finds that the government’s PSAs supporting COVID-19 vaccinations are limited, especially when compared to private vaccine PSAs, despite India’s success with PSA campaigns for other vaccinations such as polio, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS prevention. By comparing social media health campaigns of analogous health agencies in the United States and the United Kingdom, the study identifies significant flaws in India’s message structuring and establishing credibility and trust in COVID-19 vaccines. The study’s findings suggest that the Indian government’s failure to use media effectively to promote COVID-19 vaccines may have influenced the vaccination rate in the country, potentially allowing for future outbreaks.