Now that vaccines are being released it is important to recognize and mitigate barriers that could keep people from being vaccinated.  We group these barriers into four categories and provide guidance and resources for each one. 

Conspiracies

A conspiracy is a way of understanding the virus or the vaccine that is based on deep distrust and misinformation.  Conspiracies usually assume a larger plot to exploit or harm people.  In some cases people who want to generate fear or undermine public health will start conspiracies to frighten people.  The best strategy for conspiracy is direct counter-messaging.

Misinformation

In some cases, people simply have incorrect ideas or information that may make them hesitate to be vaccinated.  Sometimes the misinformation can be corrected when people receive evidence-based information.  Misinformation can be addressed by a combination of evidence-based information and including how to recognize who is an authority and a trustworthy source.

Distrust

In communities where there is a history of distrust of authority, it is easy to distrust the vaccine and information about the pandemic.  Alleviating distrust can require more than just sharing information.  The best strategy with distrust is for those who are trusted to become a bridge between those in fear and those who are worthy of our trust. It may require more of a discussion with someone who is trusted rather than one time sharing. 

Ethical Concerns

Ethical concerns are important to respect and discuss openly as they reflect a person’s desire to do what is right.  There are some ethical concerns about the vaccine that may be eased with direct information about both the vaccine and ethics.  Like distrust, ethical concerns can be addressed through open dialog with a trustworthy expert.