Opponents Of Vaccination Research Articles

"They Only Silence the Truth": COVID-19 retractions and the politicization of science.

Retracted COVID-19 articles have circulated widely on social media. Although retractions are intended to correct the scientific record, when trust in science is low, they may instead be interpreted as evidence of censorship or simply ignored. We performed a content analysis of tweets about the two most widely shared retracted COVID-19 articles, Mehra20 and Rose21, before and after their retractions. When Mehra20 was seen as a politicized attack on Donald Trump and hydroxychloroquine, its retraction was broadly shared as proof that the article had been published for political reasons. However, when Rose21 was seen as evidence of vaccine harm by vaccine opponents, its retraction was either ignored or else framed as a conspiracy to censor the truth. These results demonstrate how retractions can be selectively used by scientific counterpublics to reframe the regulation of science as evidence of its institutional corruption.

“The Right to Our Own Body Is Over”: Justifications of COVID-19 Vaccine Opponents on Israeli Social Media

Vaccines decrease morbidity and mortality. Nevertheless, their benefits depend on public response. During COVID-19, vaccine hesitancy and refusal were rampant, threatening public health. A thorough understanding of opponents’ arguments is required to address the diffusion of unreliable information on social media and prevent vaccine hesitancy from developing into vaccine refusal. The focus on the opponents’ viewpoints and their justifications makes the study unique. Accordingly, textual content analysis of reader comments on three health-related Israeli Facebook pages was conducted. Data collection encompassed the Israeli COVID-19 vaccination period from October 2020 to May 2022. The comments were analyzed according to the health beliefs model (HBM). We found that vaccine opponents were characterized by low perceptions of the severity of the disease combined with high perceptions of the damages of the vaccine; low perceived benefits of vaccine compliance; vaccine hesitancy and fear along with public distrust as barriers to change; and call for action to resist the vaccine and spread related anti-establishment views on the web. Hesitancy was found to develop into public distrust in the state systems and escalate into conspiracy beliefs and anti-vaccination activism. These results are important and instructive that early detection is necessary to prevent future vaccine resistance.

The Blogosphere of Ukraine: Content Analysis of the Anti-Vaccine Campaign During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction. The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a surge in existing anti-vaccine sentiments in Ukraine, posing a threat to public health. This study aims to analyze the anti-vaccine campaign in the Ukrainian blogosphere, which intensified during the pandemic and coalesced around issues related to the coronavirus. Relevance of the study. The relevance of the study is determined by the increasing popularity of anti-vaccine sentiments in Ukraine, which are facilitated by the growing influence of the blogosphere as a powerful channel for disseminating destructive content. The study aims to identify the key categories that bloggers appealed to while conducting the campaign against vaccination for coronavirus disease in Ukraine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methodology. To determine the most influential representatives of the anti-vaccine movement in Ukraine, a media monitoring was conducted focusing on the exposure of fakes and misinformation regarding COVID-19. A list of the channels of the most popular Ukrainian bloggers who are corona-skeptics and opponents of vaccination was compiled. Subsequently, 232 videos published on these bloggers’ channels were studied. The content analysis method was applied to identify the key messages and calls used by vaccination opponents. Results. The most popular representatives of the anti-vaccine movement in Ukraine were found to be lawyers, pseudo-experts, citizen journalists, and proponents of conspiracy theories. The media activity of anti-vaccination bloggers was recorded throughout the entire pandemic of the coronavirus disease in Ukraine and for some time after its end. The chronology and reasons for the main surges in their activity and audience interest are revealed. The study identified the most common categories appealed to by bloggers in the anti-vaccination campaign, as well as their calls to action and objects of their criticism. Conclusions. The study demonstrates that Ukrainian vaccination opponents politicize vaccination issues, actively using conspiratorial rhetoric. The key categories of coronaskeptics bloggers’ messages include violations of rights (both fundamental rights and rights to work, choice, etc.), safety (of vaccines or the disease itself), conspiracy theories and moral. The most popular appeal of vaccination opponents is to “think critically” and not comply with requirements related to vaccination or quarantine restrictions. The main objects of criticism are authorities, various institutions, and the media. Further investigation into the discursive strategies of anti-vaccine campaigns will contribute to the formation of an effective counter-narrative.

Opponents of vaccines in Israel and their justifications to operating and spreading their position

Abstract Background One of the things the world was waiting for during the COVID-19 epidemic was the development of a vaccine. However, there was also a growing fear of this expressed in the lack of compliance and even active resistance to the vaccine. Identifying and analyzing the justifications for resistance to vaccines could lead to a significant reduction of it, which would contribute to public health. Aim To examine the justifications that guide vaccine opponents, not only in not getting vaccinated, but also in spreading their opposition. Methods Qualitative research using text analysis of three central public websites, covering the spectrum of positions re- vaccines: 1. The Ministry of Health - identified as an ‘objective’ website. 2. Midaat - Science and Information for Family Health - identified as a website ‘in favor’ of vaccines. 3. PECC - Health, Science, Truth - identified as a website ‘against’ vaccines. Findings: According to the Health Belief Model (HBM, 1956), the perception of being affected by the disease and the perception of the severity of the disease are low and therefore the threat perception is also low, as is the cost-benefit perception. The barriers to change perception expressed internal barriers, such as fear of a new vaccine and fear of foreign substances in the body; and external barriers, first and foremost a lack of trust in the government in general and the health system particularly, in addition to development of conspiracy justifications claiming that the vaccines are a mechanism of the government to control the population. Another justification related to the pharmaceutical industries’ financial interests, i.e., their attempts to get rich by ‘inventing a disease’ and providing a vaccine Conclusions Public trust has been significantly compromised as a result of conflicting and changing instructions, especially during lockdowns. Fake news were distributed on social networks. Necessitating a national confrontation with the issue. Key messages • It is important to identify the justifications vaccine opponents use, so that explanations focus on all concerns and developments of false agendas that damage public trust and hence public health. • Israel should not take fake news lightly. The government must understand the negative consequences of it, and act to eradicate it through supervision, as is customary in other countries.

Trust in Physicians in the Context of HPV Vaccination of Children from the Perspective of Social Exchange Theory: A Representative Study of Polish Parents.

The vaccination of children against human papillomavirus (HPV) effectively prevents HPV infection and HPV-related cancers in women and men. However, HPV vaccination programs are met with vaccine hesitancy, which varies between countries. The coverage in Poland is low, although introducing nationally funded HPV vaccination for girls aged 12-13 in mid-2023 may increase it. The uptake of the HPV vaccine in adolescents is highly affected by parental decisions, which in turn can be influenced by interactions with the physician. The present representative study aimed to analyze the acceptance of the HPV vaccine among Polish parents (n = 360) and the level of trust in HPV vaccination in the pediatrician/general practitioner who takes care of their children aged 9-15 years. The data were gathered in September 2022 using computer-assisted telephone interviews. Most surveyed parents reported trusting their child's physician regarding vaccine recommendations (89.2%) and vaccinated their child with all or most of the vaccines recommended by a national vaccination guideline (94.7%). However, 13.3% declared themselves as moderate or strong vaccine opponents, a group characterized by high (83.4%) distrust in physicians. There was no difference in the awareness of HPV in groups varying in trusting the physicians, but parents who trusted them were more frequently aware of the HPV vaccine. Parental willingness to vaccinate their child against HPV was highly differentiated by the level of trust in the child's physician. The results highlight that trust in physicians is a critical factor shaping decisions for children's vaccination, stressing a continuous need to improve strategies to communicate with patients.

What Should I Believe In? This Is about My Child's Health! Exploring Information Behavior and Attitudes towards Vaccination: A Comparative Study of Polish and Ukrainian Parents

ABSTRACTThis study delves into the realm of information behavior research, examining the attitudes and information‐seeking patterns of Polish and Ukrainian parents regarding vaccination. Amidst rising vaccine skepticism globally, understanding how individuals acquire and evaluate information about vaccinations is crucial for effective public health communication. Through in‐depth interviews and surveys, the study examines how parents acquire information about vaccinations, evaluate the credibility of this information, and identify cognitive authorities that enhance information credibility. Preliminary findings demonstrate distinct information‐seeking strategies between pro‐vaccination and skeptical parents. Parents in favor of vaccination tend to rely on a single source, typically their doctor, emphasizing the authority associated with their role. In contrast, skeptical parents consult various sources, prioritizing close personal relationships and shared experiences. In contrast, skeptical parents consult various sources, prioritizing close personal relationships and shared experiences. Moreover, opponents of vaccination exhibit a stronger affective dimension when assessing source credibility. The study also highlights the distinctive use of books and articles among vaccine opponents, despite their general mistrust of science. This study contributes to the field of information behavior research, offering insights into parental information‐seeking dynamics, and their implications for public health policy and communication strategies.

Underlying Factors Associated with COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Refusal among the Iranian Population: A Qualitative Content Analysis

Background: COVID-19 vaccination is one of the most successful ways to control the ongoing pandemic and prevent severe diseases, hospitalization, and death. Current evidence suggests COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy (a delay in accepting or rejecting the vaccine despite the availability of vaccination services) is a barrier to successful vaccination programs worldwide. This study aimed to explore the underlying factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among the Iranian population. Methods: This qualitative content analysis study was conducted using in-depth semi-structured interviews. A total of 32 Iranian participants with diverse ethnicity, language, age, and gender were selected through purposive sampling. Interviews were analyzed using Graneheim and Lundman’s qualitative content analysis method. MAXQDA software was used for data analysis. Results: Three themes and eight subthemes emerged from the qualitative interviews. Individual underlying factors included knowledge, beliefs, and the fear of COVID-19 infection. Social factors included social media, the health system, and governance. Institutional factors included vaccine opponents and health experts that fueled COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and refusal among the participants. Conclusion: Poor knowledge, misbelief, and fear were the most commonly reported causes of vaccine hesitancy and refusal among Iranians. Therefore, targeted interventions are recommended to address misinformation among the Iranian population.

The Influence of Recommendation of Medical and Non-Medical Authorities on the Decision to Vaccinate against Influenza from a Social Vaccinology Perspective: Cross-Sectional, Representative Study of Polish Society.

Vaccination against seasonal flu is crucial to prevention of illness in modern societies. The level of influenza vaccination in Poland is low and, for many years, has hovered around a few percent of the general population. For this reason, it is crucial to understand the reasons for such a low level of vaccination and to assess the influence of medical and social authorities on the decision to vaccinate against influenza from the perspective of social vaccinology. For this purpose, a representative survey was conducted in 2022 among adult Poles (N = 805), orchestrated with the CAWI technique based on the author's questionnaire. The most significant authority in the context of influenza vaccination is held by physicians, especially among the oldest part of the population, over 65 years of age-in this group, 50.4% of respondents declare a very high level of respect for physicians on the issue of recommended influenza vaccination (p < 0.001), and the second-highest authority group for which seniors have respect in the aspect of influenza vaccination is pharmacists (p = 0.011). It was also shown that pharmacists have more authority on the issue of influenza vaccination than nurses, especially in the group that declared themselves opponents of vaccination (p < 0.001). The survey indicates the need to strengthen the authority of physicians and pharmacists regarding influenza vaccination, and, in the case of pharmacists, the need for changing the law to allow them to qualify for influenza vaccination.

Parents’ and Health Professionals’ Attitudes to Advancing Primary MMR Vaccine Administration from Fifteen to Six Months of Age—A Qualitative Thematic Analysis Embedded in a Randomized Trial

Declining levels and duration of passively acquired maternal antibodies prompted a Danish trial to test the feasibility of advancing administration of the first measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (MMR1) from 15 to 6 months of age. A trial-embedded qualitative study aimed to understand parents' (N = 24) and health professionals' (N = 11) attitudes about the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (MMR) in general and about advancing MMR1 administration. Overly positive parent attitudes were contrasted by members of a vaccine-skeptical organization including parents considering that their child was seriously vaccine-injured long ago. Parents' attitudes to advancing MMR1 mirrored their attitudes about the MMR vaccine in general, with four positions along a continuum of trust in the healthcare system: unquestioning trust, acceptance after careful consideration, challenging indecisiveness, and defensive rejection. Low tolerance was identified between vaccine supporters and vaccine opponents. Parents of children with perceived serious vaccine-related injuries described lifelong unresolved feelings of guilt. Supporters of advanced MMR1 saw it as a timely and convenient administration of a well-known vaccine, whereas opponents feared it would disturb the children's immature immune systems and emphasized difficulties in recognizing side effects so early in life. Health professionals were supportive of advancing the MMR1 vaccine and they carefully challenged the parents. Current MMR vaccine supporters show readiness to advance MMR1 administration.

Avoiding Mandatory Covid-19 Vaccination: Arrogance toward Science and Lack of Respect for Common Sense

This paper is a continuation of the research that the author started several years ago and which was published in the article Compulsory Vaccination of Children: Rights of Patients or Interests of Public Health? The emphasis will be on professional and scientific discussions on whether it is permissible to prescribe mandatory vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as whether this is in line with the Constitution and legally allowed for all or only for certain population categories in Serbia. Earlier decisions of the constitutional courts of Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia, as well as the recent judgment of the ECtHR in the Vavřička case will be reconsidered. All these decisions by the highest national courts, as well as the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights, have unequivocally confirmed that mandatory vaccination is not contrary to some basic human rights regularly invoked by opponents of vaccination.

Principles of Forming a Strategy for Reducing the Psychological Tension of Social Network Users

Aims: The purpose of the study was to develop principles of a strategy for influencing the psychological state of social network users using the example of the Russian-language segment of Twitter, one of the reasons for which is the lack of awareness about aspects of the coronavirus infection. Background: In contrast to the existing works on mood management and Emotion Regulation Strategies, there are principles based not on emotional regulation (cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression), but on information processing of the content of social media messages and forums. Objective: The objective of the study was to develop principles of a strategy for reducing the psychological tension of social network users (further – Strategy) based on the Russian-language segment of Twitter. Methods: The proposed research methodology includes a study of the discussion field in the active forum of the Runet (the qualitative aspect of emotionality as a reflection of psychological tension) and the Russian-language segment of Twitter (the quantitative aspect of terminology frequency). The qualitative research consisted in isolating the sensitive words used by vaccine opponents to describe their beliefs. A multi-stage methodology has been developed for the meaningful analysis of Twitter users’ messages. Results: . The result of the study is a methodology for developing principles of the Strategy. Based on this methodology, the following aspects of the problem have been developed: 1) the principle of clarifying the definition of psychological tension; 2) the principle of comparing the user and scientific meanings of terms, taking into account the contexts of their use; 3) the principle of contextual comparison of the user’s and scientific meanings of the term; 4) the principle of visual popularization of scientific knowledge. Conclusion: An original methodology was created for developing principles of the Strategy. In contrast to the existing works on mood management and Emotion Regulation Strategies, there are principles based not on emotional regulation (cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression [1]), but on information processing of the content of social media messages and forums. Other: A new approach to reducing the psychological tension of social media users can contribute to sharing timely, accurate and positive information about COVID-19, and reduce excessive discussions about COVID-19, which can positively affect the psychological well-being of the general public.

Fear of COVID-19 among employees of large companies and vaccination against COVID-19 - a cross-sectional study (Silesia, Poland)

Introduction and Objective. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the functioning of the entire globe. By the end of December 2020, the disease had been diagnosed in more than 82 million people worldwide, and nearly 2 million people had died. The main preventive measure was to develop an effective vaccine as soon as possible, which Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Gamaleya Center managed to do in late 2020. The first vaccines arrived in Poland after the end of December 2020, but their appearance was not without controversy. The aim of this study was to compare respondents' opinions on COVID-19 vaccination with the results of the assessment of fear of infection. Material and methods. The opinions of 300 employees of large companies on COVID-19 vaccination and fear of SARS-CoV-2 (FCV-19S) infection according to Ahorsu were checked. Results. It was shown that 54% of the respondents express a willingness to vaccinate whenever possible, while 42% are not interested in vaccinating. In favor of the willingness to vaccinate is the option to return to the standard of living before the COVID-19 pandemic - 72%, and the desire to protect those around them from possible infection - 46%. Among opponents of vaccination, the predominant opinion is that the vaccine has not undergone enough testing and is not safe for health - 68%. Discussion. COVID-19 vaccination is one of the major medical successes of recent years and a safe way to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection. It is worrying that those who opt out of vaccination indicate that they do not have enough information about vaccination (44%), and this is an issue that needs to be changed quickly. Conclusions. Those who express a willingness to vaccinate are more likely to have a higher level of fear of SARS-CoV-2 infection than those who have not expressed a willingness to vaccinate. Nearly half of non-vaccinators indicate that there is too little information about vaccination.

KORONAVİRÜS PANDEMİ DÖNEMİNDE AŞI KARŞITLIĞI SOSYAL MEDYA VE KOMPLO TEORİLERİ

Doğruluğu ya da yanlışlığı konusunda herhangi bir sonuca bağlanamayan komplo teorileri, özellikle belirsizliğin hüküm sürdüğü dönemlerde dolaşıma girmekte ve toplumun önemli bir kesimi tarafından benimsenmektedir. Komplo teorileri beraberinde getirdiği inanç sistemi ile kriz dönemlerinde insanların bir sorun ya da konu karşısında tutum ve davranışlarının şekillenmesi açısından önemli bir yere sahiptir. Covid 19 pandemi sürecinde aşı kampanyalarında belirlenen hedeflere ulaşılmasını engelleyen en büyük etkenlerden biri de aşı karşıtlarının özellikle sosyal medyadaki örgütlü yapılanmasıdır. Bu doğrultuda araştırmada aşı karşıtlarının sosyal medya platformlarında kullandığı ve diğer çevrimiçi kullanıcılarla paylaştıkları iletilerde hangi komplo teorileriyle yaklaşımlarını desteklemeye çalıştıklarının belirlenmesi amaçlanmaktadır. 1-30 Eylül tarihleri arasında #Aşıolmayacağım, #Aşızorbalığınadiren, #Aşıdeğilbiyolojiksilah ve #Aşıyahayır hastagleri üzerinden içerik analizi yöntemiyle yapılan araştırmanın birinci kısmında Covid 19 pandemi sürecinde komplo teorileri ve sosyal medya konuları üzerinde durulurken, ikinci kısımda ise içerik analizi yöntemiyle aşı karşıtlarının görüşlerini desteklemek amacıyla paylaştığı komplo teorilerinin içerikleri belirlenmeye çalışılmaktadır.

The Acting Teachers – The Usual Students

During the last 10 years the field of Acting has witnessed an unprecedented development in Romania – now it encompasses teaching, personal development, sometimes even therapy; it has blended well with the visual field in Installations and, due to pandemic situation, it has engulfed the virtual medium. Therefore, Acting has changed – nowadays, the purpose of an Acting School is not that of forging masters of Acting, but of guiding and supporting the discovery and designing of the unicity, creativity and personality of each and every artist. Romanian theatre has fought many battles along the way – that with censorship, that with mass media and now a completely new and insidious challenge – the fight with the present sanitary situation. Nowadays, the theatres, either conventional or unconventional, are closed due to various reasons: the political wage of war, the conflict between the vaccine followers and the vaccine opponents, the gulf between the majority parties and the minorities, various restrictions and our own personal fears. Thus, nowadays artists should prove, once more, their amazing capacity of adapting themselves to these conditions. And, if our times are confusing for artists, they are even more bewildering for the Acting teachers. An Acting teacher that is a former graduate of a 4 year course of study in a form of 5-6 fellow mates, that, most likely, has a job as an actor in a National Theatre, is supposed now to teach in Bologna system to a double number of students than the one he was used to (and that even online) and to prepare them for a very crowded and diversified market place. So, what is to be done on part of the Acting teacher?

Роль вакцинопрофилактики новой коронавирусной инфекции COVID-19 у населения Жалал-Абадской области Кыргызстана

The article presents static analysis data on vaccination among residents of Dzhalal-Abad region from the beginning of the pandemic to the present. The availability of different types of vaccines is considered based on the result of provision at the expense of states, as well as the prospects for expanding vaccines to ensure the required volume of vaccination. Effective results of mass vaccinations were revealed in the formation of herd immunity, which prevented the occurrence of repeated outbreaks of the disease. The data of the analysis carried out over 2 years indicate that the position of health workers is consistent with the ways to solve the quarantine of the entire population of Dzhalal-Abad region. In 2021, the month of the peak of the incidence, the number of opponents of vaccination decreased from 29% to 23%. The number of people who are not going to be vaccinated has sharply decreased, but the number of actually vaccinated has increased slightly.

Impact of population mixing between vaccinated and unvaccinated subpopulations on infectious disease dynamics: implications for SARS-CoV-2 transmission.

Background:The speed of vaccine development has been a singular achievement during the COVID-19 pandemic, although uptake has not been universal. Vaccine opponents often frame their opposition in terms of the rights of the unvaccinated. We sought to explore the impact of mixing of vaccinated and unvaccinated populations on risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection among vaccinated people.Methods:We constructed a simple susceptible–infectious–recovered compartmental model of a respiratory infectious disease with 2 connected subpopulations: people who were vaccinated and those who were unvaccinated. We simulated a spectrum of patterns of mixing between vaccinated and unvaccinated groups that ranged from random mixing to complete like-with-like mixing (complete assortativity), in which people have contact exclusively with others with the same vaccination status. We evaluated the dynamics of an epidemic within each subgroup and in the population as a whole.Results:We found that the risk of infection was markedly higher among unvaccinated people than among vaccinated people under all mixing assumptions. The contact-adjusted contribution of unvaccinated people to infection risk was disproportionate, with unvaccinated people contributing to infections among those who were vaccinated at a rate higher than would have been expected based on contact numbers alone. We found that as like-with-like mixing increased, attack rates among vaccinated people decreased from 15% to 10% (and increased from 62% to 79% among unvaccinated people), but the contact-adjusted contribution to risk among vaccinated people derived from contact with unvaccinated people increased.Interpretation:Although risk associated with avoiding vaccination during a virulent pandemic accrues chiefly to people who are unvaccinated, their choices affect risk of viral infection among those who are vaccinated in a manner that is disproportionate to the portion of unvaccinated people in the population.

Attitude of medical students to vaccination against COVID-19

The World Health Organization has identified the problem of distrust of vaccines as one of the main global threats to human health. The adoption of a positive decision on vaccination is significantly influenced by medical professionals. However, there are people among health professionals who are not committed to vaccination. An analytical review of studies conducted among students of medical educational institutions in European countries, the USA and Asian countries shows that the majority of students have a positive attitude to vaccination against COVID-19. Among the reasons for refusing vaccination, the students indicated the fear of complications and the possibility of introducing microchips. Among the sources of information about vaccines, students indicated an educational institution and social networks. The authors of the studies suggest that such concerns may be associated with insufficient training of students in the field of vaccinology. During the surveys, medical workers and students indicated their lack of awareness of vaccination prevention issues and unwillingness to discuss with opponents of vaccination. The results of the study conducted by the authors in Moscow (Russia), revealed similar results. Among the reasons for refusing vaccination, respondents indicated fears of complications. Negative information about vaccines was mainly obtained from the Internet. At the same time, respondents had great confidence in the opinion of medical professionals, including in making a positive decision on vaccination. The meeting of students with leading experts in the field of vaccination showed its high demand and effectiveness. As a result of the meeting, educational and methodological materials on vaccines and exposing myths about vaccination were prepared.

Reasons in favour of universal vaccination campaign against COVID-19 in the pediatric population

BackgroundDespite the growing evidence of the extreme efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines in adults and the elderly, the administration of the same prophylactic measures to pediatric subjects is debated by some parents and by a number of researchers. The aim of this manuscript is to explain the reasons for overcoming hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccination in children and adolescents and to highlight the importance of universal COVID-19 vaccination in the pediatric population.Main findingsRecent epidemiological data suggest that the risk that a child with COVID-19 is hospitalized or admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit is greater than initially thought. Children may also suffer from long COVID and school closure because of COVID-19 can cause relevant mental health problems in the pediatric population. Placebo-controlled, observer-blinded, clinical trials showed appropriate efficacy, safety and tolerability of authorized mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in children and adolescents 12–17 years old. Vaccination in children younger than 12 years of age will allow further benefits .ConclusionsCOVID-19 vaccine administration seems mandatory in all the children and adolescents because of COVID-19 related complications as well as the efficacy, safety and tolerability of COVID-19 vaccines in this population. Due to the recent approval of COVID-9 vaccines for children 5–10 years old, it is desirable that vaccine opponents can understand how important is the universal immunization against COVID-19 for the pediatric subjects.

Environmental Sustainability and Perception of Safety of Vaccine in the COVID-19 Pandemic

The study on environmental sustainability and perception of safety of vaccination in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic has been relevant for a long time and has been caused by people’s concerns and fears about the consequences of the vaccination procedure. This paper provides a detailed analysis of approaches to determining environmental sustainability and emphasises the urgent need to maintain human health in a pandemic. Thus, the purpose of this study is to empirically investigate the readiness for vaccination against COVID-19 as a condition of environmental sustainability. The subject of the study is the environmental factors of readiness for vaccination against COVID-19. A set of methods and techniques were used to achieve this purpose, namely theoretical research methods, surveys, associative method, content analysis, methods of mathematical statistics using SPSS 23.0 and ArcGis. The paper presents the results of an empirical study of environmental sustainability and perception of safety of vaccination during pandemic, such as a comparative analysis of the sense of security of supporters and opponents of vaccination. The results of an empirical study of environmental sustainability and perception of safety of vaccination in a pandemic is provided. It was established that there are age and gender differences between proponents and opponents of vaccination. It was determined that subjects who were wary of vaccination did not consider COVID-19 to be a source of personal threat. The results of associations for the word-stimulus “danger” were analysed. There were differences in deep subconscious beliefs of danger in those who plan to be vaccinated and those who question vaccination. It was determined that the proponents of vaccination consider the general unavoidable external circumstances as a danger, and its opponents consider the very COVID-19 vaccination as such. Statistically significant differences were found between the sense of security in different areas of life in those who consider COVID-19 a danger and those for whom COVID-19 is not a source of concern. A prognostic portrait of a resident of Ukraine who is ready and willing to be vaccinated is presented. The obtained empirical results are of scientific value for researching the psychological characteristics of individual attitudes towards safe environmental sustainability and can be used in the development and implementation of programmes to work with people suffering from internal feelings of danger for their health caused by external circumstances

Preventive medicine in Russia: The problem of public (dis)trust

Based on a range of empirical studies, the article discusses the contemporary challenges and contradictions for the development of preventive medicine in Russia amongst the enormous distrust of the population towards preventive medical measures. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the discussion about preventive medical actions as a necessary measure for maintaining national security has assumed new importance. While the Russian government tries to reduce the epidemiological and economic risks by strengthening control and involving the population in preventive procedures, “coronavirus restrictions” have caused significant discontent among the population. The protest voices of “COVID dissidents” are heard loudly in public spaces, and the arguments of opponents of vaccination are widespread in Russian society. However, even before the pandemic, the wary attitude of the population towards vaccinations and preventive measures was already acutely problematic. In 2020-2021 a sociological study was conducted to identify a number of objective and subjective factors of public (dis)trust towards preventive medical measures, and, in general, the value attitude towards health and preventive care in Russian society. The analysis showed the sensitive points of the Russian’s attitude to preventive medicine and issues of health promotions, demonstrating the existing stereotypes and fears of people, as well as the problems of modern preventive medicine in general and vaccination. The authors conclude that the problem of institutional (dis)trust is key for the development of preventive medicine in Russia. Without voluntary and interested participation of the population in medical practices, the development of the modern concept of predictive, preventive, personalised and participative medicine will not be successful.