Vaccine Rejection Research Articles

The willingness to accept the COVID-19 vaccine and affecting factors among healthcare professionals: A cross-sectional study in Turkey.

IntroductionWhile discussions on the effectiveness of COVID‐19 vaccines continue, healthcare professionals' attitudes and their growing fear and anxiety during the pandemic process are not yet fully known. In this study, we aimed to investigate the COVID‐19 vaccine acceptance and affecting factors in healthcare professionals.MethodsThis was a cross‐sectional online survey conducted in 1574 healthcare professionals consisting of physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, and healthcare personnel in Turkey in December 2020. Demographic, attitudinal, and Fear of COVID‐19 Scale scores of healthcare professionals were investigated in this survey.ResultsAbout 84.6% of healthcare professionals declared willingness to accept the COVID‐19 vaccine whenever possible. Most physicians (90.4%) stated to receive the COVID‐19 vaccine, while 66.5% of nurses, 73.9% of healthcare personnel, also preferred to have it as soon as the vaccine was available. Factors affecting the willingness to accept the COVID‐19 vaccine were found to be advanced age, male gender, working in a primary health care center, living with family, having a child, having a chronic disease, having high Fear of COVID‐19 Scale (FC‐19S) scores. While the group with the highest vaccine rejection rate was nurses with 33.5%, FC‐19S scores were significantly higher in nurses who wanted to be vaccinated. In multivariate regression analyses, factors related to the acceptance of the COVID‐19 vaccine were identified as advanced age, routine adult vaccination, no history of COVID‐19, and recommendation of the COVID‐19 vaccine.ConclusionA high proportion of healthcare professionals declared their willingness to accept the COVID‐19 vaccine, and hence, this will play a leading role in optimizing the vaccination rate of the entire population while combating the pandemic.

Evaluation of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance of healthcare providers in a tertiary Pediatric hospital

ABSTRACT Objective: The aim of this study was to reveal the perceptions of healthcare providers who work in a tertiary children’s hospital about domestic and foreign COVID-19 vaccines to determine the frequency of hesitancy toward COVID-19 vaccination prior to its availability in Turkey and to elucidate the reasons for its rejection and distrust. Methods: A questionnaire about COVID-19 vaccination was conducted with 343 healthcare providers, including pediatricians, pediatric nurses, and auxiliary health staff. The questionnaire was conducted online. In the survey, participants were asked about sociodemographic characteristics and opinions on domestic and foreign COVID-19 vaccines, and reasons for vaccine refusal. Results: Women were more likely to be reluctant to get a domestic (p < .001) or foreign (p < .001) COVID-19 vaccine than men. There was a significant relationship between age and vaccine acceptance (p = .01). The younger the age of the healthcare provider, the higher the rate of vaccine hesitancy (r = – 0.25). Years of professional experience were correlated with vaccine acceptance (r = 0,19, p < .05), but vaccine rejection and indecision did not change (p > .05). The factors predicting vaccine acceptance were status as a doctor, more than 10 years of professional experience, and male gender. Conclusion: More than half of the healthcare providers were willing to have a COVID-19 vaccine once available. Indecision rates were found to be high, although rejection rates were not. Status as a doctor, more than 10 years of professional experience, and male gender were factors associated with vaccination intention.

Hesitation and Refusal Factors in Individuals' Decision-Making Processes Regarding a Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination.

Introduction: Considering the global prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a vaccine is being developed to control the disease as a complementary solution to hygiene measures—and better, in social terms, than social distancing. Given that a vaccine will eventually be produced, information will be needed to support a potential campaign to promote vaccination.Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the variables affecting the likelihood of refusal and indecision toward a vaccine against COVID-19 and to determine the acceptance of the vaccine for different scenarios of effectiveness and side effects.Materials and Methods: A multinomial logistic regression method based on the Health Belief Model was used to estimate the current methodology, using data obtained by an online anonymous survey of 370 respondents in Chile.Results: The results indicate that 49% of respondents were willing to be vaccinated, with 28% undecided or 77% of individuals who would potentially be willing to be inoculated. The main variables that explained the probability of rejection or indecision were associated with the severity of COVID-19, such as, the side effects and effectiveness of the vaccine; perceived benefits, including immunity, decreased fear of contagion, and the protection of oneself and the environment; action signals, such as, responses from ones' family and the government, available information, and specialists' recommendations; and susceptibility, including the contagion rate per 1,000 inhabitants and relatives with COVID-19, among others. Our analysis of hypothetical vaccine scenarios revealed that individuals preferred less risky vaccines in terms of fewer side effects, rather than effectiveness. Additionally, the variables that explained the indecision toward or rejection of a potential COVID-19 vaccine could be used in designing public health policies.Conclusions: We discovered that it is necessary to formulate specific, differentiated vaccination-promotion strategies for the anti-vaccine and undecided groups based on the factors that explain the probability of individuals refusing or expressing hesitation toward vaccination.

Acceptability of COVID-19 Vaccination among Health Care Workers in Ghana

Because health care workers are a reliable source of health information, their acceptance or rejection of COVID-19 vaccines can influence the general population's uptake of COVID-19 vaccines. In this study, we sought to determine the acceptability of COVID-19 vaccines among health care workers in Ghana. Using a cross-sectional design, we collected data from 234 health care workers through a self-administered online survey from 16 January to 15 February 2021. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses were performed using STATA version 15. The findings revealed that 39.3% (n = 92) of health care workers intended to receive the COVID-19 vaccines. Factors such as sex (AOR = 0.451; CI 95% 0.240–0.845;p=0.013), category of health care workers (AOR = 2.851; 95 CI%: 1.097–7.405;p=0.031), relative being diagnosed with COVID-19 (AOR = 0.369; CI 95% 0.145–0.941;p=0.037), and trust in the accuracy of the measures taken by the government in the fight against COVID-19 (AOR = 2.768; CI 95%: 1.365–5.616;p=0.005) proved to be significant predictors of the acceptability of the COVID-19 vaccine. Concerns about the safety of vaccines (n = 93, 65.5%) and the adverse side effects of the vaccines (n = 23, 14.8%) were identified as the main reasons why health care workers would decline uptake of COVID-19 vaccines in Ghana. The self-reported low intention of health care workers in Ghana to accept COVID-19 vaccines necessitates an urgent call from the Government of Ghana and other stakeholders to address health care workers' concerns about the safety and adverse side effects of COVID-19 vaccines, as this would increase vaccine uptake. Interventions must also take into consideration sex and the category of health care workers to achieve the desired results.

Immunisation in Byron Shire.

What an unusual series of encounters with Byron Bay ‘Gav’ and his amusingly inconsistent vaccination views.1 This story does highlight some of the key findings from our recent research with a group of non-vaccinating parents in the Byron Shire. The Byron Shire in Northern NSW has about 30 000 residents with a well-established community emphasis on natural health and lifestyle, and a national reputation for lower than average childhood vaccination rates. In 2015–2017 we spoke with 32 parents living in the Byron Shire who had chosen not to vaccinate their children, to understand more about their reasons for this choice. Recent studies with similar aims have also been conducted in well-defined geographical areas near Adelaide and Perth and more recently through nationally targeted recruitment.2, 3 We have learned that parents who make this decision come to it in vastly different ways, that they are in general reasonable, conscientious parents and quite often they review their decision surprisingly frequently.3, 4 Perhaps Gav has reached his views through online conspiratorial reading. However, studies in Australia and internationally convincingly refute the concept that passively reading anti-vaccination messages online or otherwise is the sole cause of vaccine refusal.3, 5 More commonly parents reported such things as an event which caused them to doubt the safety or efficacy of vaccines, mistrust for the institutions who provide and promote vaccination and misalignment with their inherent belief systems and parenting values.3, 4, 6 Despite the path parents take in reaching their decision not to vaccinate, what we have learned is that a nuanced, personalised conversation with non-vaccinating parents is more fruitful than a one-size-fits-all approach. Health professionals' recommendations, when accessible and non-judgemental, have often been highly valued in our studies. They can approach this by asking about parents' stories, making every effort to understand the reasons behind their decision and acknowledging their experiences and concerns. Parents expect health professionals to make a clear, unambiguous recommendation to vaccinate according to the immunisation schedule and appreciate being provided with information addressing their specific questions regarding the safety, efficacy or necessity of recommended vaccines.3, 7 In regards to managing casual conversations in a Byron café, perhaps we need a further research project, for which I (approaching the end of a part-time doctorate) will not be volunteering! There are some great resources for both health professionals and parents including those on the Sharing Knowledge About Immunisation (SKAI) website (https://www.talkingaboutimmunisation.org.au/ and http://providers.talkingaboutimmunisation.org.au/) which has a suite of excellent evidence-based resources to guide effective, respectful conversations with parents about vaccination.8 Gav's story also provides a reminder of the importance of collecting accurate vaccination data. Currently we know the percentages of vaccination coverage throughout Australia; however, since the introduction of No Jab No Pay legislation in 2016, Australia does not record the number of conscientious objections as distinct from incomplete vaccination for other reasons.9 Just as a vet cannot know how many dogs are vaccinated as a percentage of the whole population, only those who present to their practice, Australia no longer has a truly accurate measure of intentional childhood vaccination refusal. One last thing to consider: living in the Byron Shire for over 20 years, I have witnessed a significant cultural change in the past couple of years. As houses are listed for sale, they are snapped up by city dwellers at increasingly impressive prices. This is visibly changing the culture and norms of the area. Perhaps it is timely for us to consider changing our narrative to avoid ongoing ‘anti-vax’ stereotyping of the Byron Shire, steering clear of the risk that we may normalise or even glamorise vaccination rejection as ‘part of the Byron lifestyle’.

When politics collides with public health: COVID-19 vaccine country of origin and vaccination acceptance in Brazil

This study examines the effect of the country of origin of the vaccine on vaccination acceptance against COVID-19. More specifically, we show how the political context in Brazil has affected acceptance of vaccines produced in China, Russia, the US, and England at the University of Oxford. Our data come from a survey experiment applied to a national sample of 2771 adult Brazilians between September 23 and October 2, 2020. We find greater rejection among Brazilians for vaccines developed in China and Russia, as compared to vaccines from the US or England. We also find that rejection of the Chinese-developed vaccine is particularly strong among those who support President Jair Bolsonaro—a COVID-19 denier and strong critic of China and vaccination, in general.

Trend of measles in Turkey: A retrospective secondary data analysis.

To evaluate trends and epidemiological assessment about measles outbreak. The retrospective secondary-data study was conducted at Turkey in the form of record scanning and the data of the whole country were scanned, from August 24, 2018, to April 5, 2020, and covered measles cases reported to the Ministry of Health between 1960 and 2019 and published in the statistical annuals. Over the 60-year period, there were 1,050,567 reported cases of measles, translating into 17,509 cases per year, with an incidence rate of 32.03 cases per hundred thousand. There were 18(30%) years in which the outbreak touched epidemic proportions. With the onset of vaccination in 1969, the incidence rate decreased to about 27/100,000. The incidence rate of measles decreased by 62% compared to pre-vaccination after a single dose of vaccine, and approximately 80% after the initiation of the Extended Immunisation Programme. Due to problems in school vaccination, rejection of vaccines and imported cases in the country, fresh measles outbreaks have occurred in Turkey in recent years. Measles elimination target, as such, will have to be extended.

No shots, no problem

Vaccine-hesitancy and vaccine rejection are huge problems facing global public health today. Diseases which were once considered to be virtually eliminated due to widespread vaccination are returning with a vengeance, as cases of measles, mumps and chickenpox pop up and spread throughout Europe and North America. As herd immunity diminishes, deadly infectious diseases spread more easily among vulnerable human hosts. This is all due to the growing trend of purposefully forgoing routine vaccinations. Anti-vaccine communities have been steadily growing online for years, and now wield a potent influence on social media. Widespread access to social media increases the ease with which misinformation about vaccines can spread and reach new audiences across the globe. In this paper, I will be seeking to answer the question: what is the anti-vaccine movement and how does this movement interact with social media? I will also examine what role identity plays in attracting new believers to the anti-vaccine community, if any.

“Surm on ainus, mis hirmutab”: viirusnakkushaiguste ja nendega seotud vaktsineerimise tähenduse loomine gripi ja koroonaviiruse näitel

Although relatively easy to overcome for young and healthy individuals, seasonal influenza is a disease with considerable health, social, and economic consequences for society, especially for higher-risk groups. Even though vaccination against influenza is the most effective tool to prevent it, vaccination rates remain rather low. Together with the promotion of neoliberal individual responsibility over one’s health, vaccine hesitancy – a complex phenomenon indicating the lower uptake of vaccines compared to the accessibility of information and services – has risen among societies. In previous research, several barriers – for example, psychological, physical, contextual, and sociodemographic – have been identified as preventing influenza vaccine uptake among risk groups. We approach the topic by using the social constructionist theory regarding the meaning construction of illnesses on cultural, individual, and third-party level. The findings outline the importance of meaning construction on all these levels. It appears that culturally influenza has been seen as an inevitable infectious disease related to the northern climate. Due to that, influenza is not considered as a life-threatening disease that would need preventive actions, except some basic hygiene or usage of folk medicine tools (e.g., ginger and garlic). On an individual level, the meaning construction is based on individual experiences, both with the illness and the vaccine – in the case of negative experiences with vaccine, the perception of something useless or even harmful develops. In addition, it appears that people create their own strategies to rationalize rejection of vaccination for themselves. These involve considerations about belonging to the risk group or the possibility to manage daily activities in non-risky manner even when belonging to the risk group. On the third-party level, participants saw the potential of pharmacies to alleviate practical constraints (e.g., tight schedule, daily occupation, etc.). Different media channels are also important in mediating vaccination-related information, but the rationalization and selection of the channels vary widely. The context of the coronavirus changed the vaccination-related perception temporarily for a short term, indicating that fear-based special occasions do not entail a long-term shift in health behaviour as the development of health-related decisions and behaviour is also long-term.

Vaccine Enthusiasm and Hesitancy in Cancer Patients and the Impact of a Webinar.

(1) Background: Vaccine hesitancy and rejection are major threats to controlling coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). There is a paucity of information about the attitudes of cancer patients towards vaccinations and the role of clinical oncologists in influencing vaccination acceptance. (2) Methods: Cancer patients and caregivers were invited to participate in a webinar and two surveys (pre- and post-webinar) assessing intention and thought processes associated with receiving COVID-19 vaccines. (3) Results: Two hundred and sixty-four participants participated in the webinar and registered to take at least one survey. Participants reported receiving most of their COVID-19 vaccine information from their doctor, clinic, or hospital. Before the webinar, 71% of participants reported the intention to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, 24% were unsure, and 5% had no intention of receiving a vaccine. The strongest predictors of vaccine enthusiasm were (a) planning to encourage the vaccination of family, friends, co-workers, and community, and (b) physician recommendation. The chief reason for vaccine hesitancy was a fear of side effects. After the webinar, 82.5% reported the intention to receive a vaccine, 15.4% were still unsure, and 2% stated that they had no intention of receiving a vaccine. The webinar shifted the attitude towards vaccine enthusiasm, despite an already vaccine-enthusiastic population. Communicating about vaccines using positive framing is associated with greater vaccine enthusiasm. (4) Conclusions: Patient education programs co-hosted by multiple stakeholders and delivered by oncologists can increase cancer patient enthusiasm for COVID-19 vaccination.

Understanding the approach of family physicians in Turkey to the problem of vaccine rejection

ABSTRACT Vaccines not only protect individuals, but also prevent the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases in the community. Vaccine rejection in Turkey increased 125-fold between 2012 and 2019. Thus, this cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the level of knowledge of family physicians about vaccination, which can be the keystone of vaccine rejection. Evaluations were also made of vaccine recommendations, practice, and confidence in vaccine safety. The study was conducted using a 41-item questionnaire, completed by 804 (3.3%) family physicians serving in Turkey. The most common reasons for vaccine rejection were found to be fear of disease from the vaccine substance at the rate of 53.7% (n = 298), religious reasons at 32.3% (n = 179), disbelief of protection at 9.9% (n = 55), and fear of infertility at 4.1% (n = 23). Logistic regression analysis was applied to determine the factors affecting the power of the family physician’s recommendation. The results showed that age >41 years (OR = 1.625 (1.129–2.34)), having self-efficacy (OR = 1.628 (1.183–2.24)) and belief in the usefulness of the vaccine made a positive contribution to the power to recommend vaccines (OR = 1.420 (1.996–1.012)). The results of this study demonstrated that training on vaccines and vaccine-preventable diseases has a positive effect on self-efficacy (p < .0001). This study can be considered of value as the first to demonstrate the beliefs and attitudes of family physicians in Turkey. Further training courses to increase knowledge of vaccines, vaccine-preventable diseases, and communication skills would be of benefit for family physicians.

Effectiveness of a brief intervention for acceptance of influenza vaccine in reluctant primary care patients

ObjectiveTo determine the effectiveness of a brief intervention in increasing influenza vaccination coverage compared with the usual advice in people who refuse it, and to record the main reasons for refusing to be vaccinated. MethodA cluster randomized clinical trial was conducted in which the study population was individuals with high risk factors who initially had refused to be vaccinated against influenza. Professionals (doctors and nurses) who voluntarily accepted to participate were assigned randomly to the intervention group (brief intervention) and the control group (usual advice). Results57 professionals recruited 524 people who had previously declined the influenza vaccination (271 in the control group and 253 in the intervention group). Brief intervention showed its effectiveness with an odds ratio of 2.48 (1.61-3.82; p<0.001), in individuals aged 60 or over, both healthy or with risk factors. The most frequent reasons for rejection of vaccination were the belief that there was no risk of getting sick (53.0%) and the fear of the side effects (33.3%). ConclusionsBrief intervention is an effective tool in improving vaccination coverage in people who have initially rejected it.

Reasons for Vaccine Rejection in 0 to 2 Years Old Children Registered to Family Health Centers in Konya

AbstractObjective According to the 2017 report of the World Health Organization (WHO), ∼1.5 million people die from vaccine preventable diseases. The WHO is working to generate and popularize effective vaccination programs. However, the concept of “vaccine rejection,” which first started in Europe and United States, has started to make an impact in Turkey during the past 10 years. It is therefore seen as a growing danger in future. This study was conducted to determine, detect, and prevent the reasons of vaccine rejection that have increased in recent years.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted between June and December at 2015. In all districts of Konya (n = 31), it was aimed to reach all 242 families who rejected vaccination to their 0 to 2 years old babies. Families having more than one child refused to vaccinate all of their children. A questionnaire consisting of 47 questions was prepared by the researchers, using the standard trainings of the Ministry of Health and the literature. A total of 172 families agreed to participate in this study. The questionnaire was applied to the parents using the telephone interview technique. Data were presented as mean ± standard deviation and percentage.Results About 41.3% (n = 71) of the mothers were high school graduates, 50.6% (n = 87) of their fathers were university graduates. About 82.6% (n = 142) of the participants received examination, treatment and follow-up services from family physicians and family health personnel. About 20.9% (n = 36) of the children were the only children of the family. About 55.8% (n = 96) of the families also refused the vaccination for other children. About 83.7% (n = 144) of the unvaccinated children had infants/children follow-up care. While all participants stated that vaccines had side effects, 31.4% (n = 54) of these believed that vaccines cause autism or paralysis in infants. About 62.2% (n = 107) of their mothers did not receive tetanus vaccine during pregnancy. The highest rate of nonvaccination was with the second dose of hepatitis A vaccine, which 96.5% (n = 166) refused. The most accepted vaccine was the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine, which was refused by 18.0% (n = 31). About 79.7% (n = 137) of the participants did not know the reason for the vaccination and 95.9% (n = 165) thought that the vaccines were not required. All participants received information from the health personnel about the vaccines. While 9.9% (n = 17) of the families thought that vaccines cause infertility, 44.8% (n = 77) did not receive vaccination because the vaccines were produced abroad.Conclusion A growing number of families refuse to have their babies vaccinated. The production of vaccines abroad is a major cause of insecurity. There are also beliefs that vaccines cause infertility. Vaccine production in Turkey should be accelerated and public education about vaccines should be reviewed. Training provided to families about vaccines should also be reviewed.

COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance Among Dental Professionals Based on Employment Status During the Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic spread rapidly across the globe, leading governments to impose prolonged lockdowns on both movement and commerce. Although lockdowns decrease the rates of novel infections, they can have devastating consequences on the economy and employment levels. One of the most severely affected sectors during this crisis has been dental medicine. Dental professionals are uniquely exposed to environments with high levels of occupational hazards, conferring additional risks of viral exposure and transmission. We analyzed 506 anonymous questionnaires completed by dentists and residents regarding acceptance of a future potential SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Our results demonstrate a statistically significant correlation between the individual's unemployment rate and their willingness to inoculate with a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine when it becomes available. This information can be used to predict trends of vaccine acceptance or rejection based on economic burden during the COVID-19 pandemic by different sectors as part of the preparedness toward global vaccination programs.

Understanding the determinants of acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines: a challenge in a fast-moving situation

Understanding the determinants of acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines: a challenge in a fast-moving situation

The biggest challenge in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic: Vaccine hesitancy

I would like to mention an issue discussed constantly these days in the light of scientific data. It would be best to start by answering a question everyone is curious about before we start the main topic. Will this virus go away? The answer is simply “No”. The virus will probably continue to exist together with us; however, one day, the pandemic will end. The only answer we can give to the question of how this pandemic will end is “scientific and social fight”.&#x0D; All countries throughout the entire world are fighting to control the spread of SARS-CoV-2. The most important among these global fights is proper medical treatment in addition to an early, rapid and accurate diagnosis. Besides, another aspect that will crown this fight is the vaccination programs. The success of this fight depends on people’s accepting the vaccines.&#x0D; A total of 10 of the vaccine candidates, which numbered more than 165 developed within a record time period, have achieved approval after their final stages of effectiveness tests on a large scale as of March when the whole world mobilized to produce vaccines to stop the pandemic. Unfortunately; however, a vaccine against COVID-19 is unlikely to provide full protection. Also, even if a safe and effective vaccine comes to be known, it will not be possible to reach adequate distribution worldwide within a short time period. It is estimated that the time for the distribution of a safe and effective vaccine to the population will be between the end of 2020 and early 2022. However, even in the presence of adequate vaccines, vaccination of a sufficient number of population cannot be guaranteed due to hesitations, indecisiveness, and oppositions to the vaccine.&#x0D; Although vaccination is considered to be one of the most successful public health measures, an increasingly growing number of people perceive it as unsafe and unnecessary. The lack of trust in vaccines comes before us as a threat to the success of vaccination programs. Hesitation, indecision, and opposition to vaccines is an extremely important issue and requires to be dealt with. As a matter of fact, vaccines, which save approximately 2-3 million lives each year, are among the greatest achievements of the past two centuries. Vaccines, which eliminated the smallpox disease successfully, also reduced the prevalence of many important diseases greatly, such as polio and measles. Today, more than 30 infectious diseases can be controlled on a worldwide scale with the existing licensed vaccines; and it is prevented that the limited public healthcare resources are spent in vain by decreasing the burden of infectious diseases that are preventable with vaccines on the healthcare system.&#x0D; The way to eliminate the detrimental effects of this pandemic depends on the implementation of effective and safe vaccines as soon as possible, and on maintaining this at high rates. An overall “herd immunity”, which will be achieved with high vaccination rates, will also limit the ability of the virus to spread. Of course, how long the protective immunity to vaccines will last will determine our future regarding the virus; however, it must be kept in mind that the uncertainty we are experiencing now regarding the condition of the pandemic stems from our attitudes about vaccine rejection rather than the immune response.&#x0D; In conclusion, the potential of vaccines to prevent diseases and save lives has never been more remarkable throughout history. However, the magnitude of the hesitations regarding the vaccines was not at such dimensions. As misinformation about vaccines spreads, public confusion also increases, and various hesitations occur against the vaccine. These hesitations prevent the success of scientists and the attempts to spread the vaccine. Attention should be paid not to spread misguiding information regarding the safety and effectiveness of immunization, explanations that may be misunderstood of especially those who do not know about the subject should be prevented, and necessary information should be provided regularly regarding the concerns of the public. In any case, the potential benefit of the existing effective vaccines depends on the adequate acceptance of them by society. For this reason, the most important task that stands out before us is to raise public awareness by informing society to eliminate hesitations regarding the vaccines to increase vaccine adaptation rates in the entire population.

Analysis of Measles Vaccination Refusal on Social Media (Facebook) among Anti-Vaccine Communities in Indonesia

Measles is one of the main causes of global mortality in the under-fives. The existence of groups that reject immunization caused a decrease in immunization coverage. Anti-vaccine messages are widely delivered on social media. Identification of vaccine rejection behavior can be used as the basis to formulate effective program strategies. The design of this study used rapid assessment procedures (RAP). The informants were from two anti-vaccine communities in the Facebook group. In-depth interviews and observations were done for data collection, and data analysis was performed using the Framework Method. The results found that determinants, such as knowledge, beliefs in health behavior and disease prevention, religion, culture, and government policies play a role in shaping informants’ perceptions of vaccines and disease risks. The design factors of vaccination programs and the reliability of vaccine producing sources were found to be inhibiting factors for informants to receive vaccines. Also, experience with vaccines, health workers' role, and lobbying by anti vaccine groups strengthened informants' attitude who initially doubted vaccines, causing them to reject vaccines ultimately. It is suggested to the Ministry of Health to improve vaccination campaigns through social media, conduct vaccine development study, and increase health workers' knowledge related to vaccines and make their communication techniques more effective.

Flattening the Curve of COVID-19 Vaccine Rejection-An International Overview.

Background: If globally implemented, a safe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program will have broad clinical and socioeconomic benefits. However, individuals who anticipate that the coronavirus vaccine will bring life back to normality may be disappointed, due to the emerging antivaccination attitude within the general population. Methods: We surveyed a sample of adult Polish citizens (n = 1066), and compared it with the data on international COVID-19 vaccine reluctance. Results: In 20 national surveys, the vaccine averseness for the anticipated COVID-19 vaccine varied from meager (2–6% China) to very high (43%, Czech Republic, and 44%, Turkey) and in most countries was much higher than regular vaccination reluctance, which varies between 3% (Egypt) and 55% (Russia). Conclusions: These results suggest that a 67% herd immunity may be possible only if mandatory preventive vaccination programs start early and are combined with coordinated education efforts supported by legislative power and social campaigns.

Vaccination in older adults with cancer and older cancer survivors

Vaccination is one of the most effective means of preventing infections and should be widely promoted, especially in immunocompromised patients, such as older adults with cancer and older cancer survivors. However, adherence is low, which is due in part to lack of awareness, fear of side effects, hesitancy to vaccinate and rejection of vaccination, especially for COVID-19. The objective of this paper is to clarify current indications for vaccination in these populations and underscore its importance.

Confessing Jesus Christ in Cultural Context: The One-Sided Politics of COVID-19 Vaccination in Zimbabwe

This article argues that confession of Jesus Christ in relation to COVID-19 vaccines is shaped in important ways by the existential cultural contexts of traditional medicines in Zimbabwe. In Africa health is grounded in and informed by religious and cultural practices that emerge from the values and beliefs held by particular communities or groups of people. The COVID-19 vaccine roll out towards herd immunity must be understood in particular historical and cultural context of the community of faith. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy remains prevalent in Zimbabwe. Vaccination cannot succeed without taking seriously the social and cultural contexts of Christology. The presence of coronavirus in the midst of the community of faith is an assault on human dignity. It requires a clear Christological response in order to make Christianity meaningful and relevant to society. With mountains of unknowns about COVID-19 that even the epidemiologists and virologists are accepting, many Christians in the country are suffering from a religious civil war in the mind - the troubling conflict between Christian beliefs mediated by western cultural values or African traditional values. Christians are toying between sticking to their Western medical standards or stick to their trusted traditional medical practices. These conflicts do not only exist at a very theoretical level; they mean a constant series of practical coronavirus choices. The coronavirus pandemic brings with it serious theological issues for the Christian community of faith. If a Christian is sick as a result of coronavirus, should he/she go to the hospital, a traditional herbalist, or both? Should a Christian rely on traditional medicines or foreign medicines though there is vaccine politics between the West and East superpowers? The spread of coronavirus has been astoundingly rapid, complex and relentlessly killing people worldwide. In Zimbabwe, after managing the virus relatively well in its early stages, the second wave of new cases grew exponentially towards the end of July 2020. I maintain that the rejection of foreign vaccines went hand in hand with the trend to harness local resources to solve local problems and further Christ’s kingdom.