COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy

As of Monday, April 19th, COVID vaccines are available to anyone 16 and older across the United States. According to the CDC, over 137 million people, around 41% of the U.S. population, have received at least one dose. The development and distribution of vaccines brings much-needed relief and hope to many who have long awaited this light at the end of the tunnel. However, some individuals remain hesitant about the vaccine, its short-term and long-term effects, and its efficacy. 

Having a bit of pre-vaccine anxiety is something completely normal that many have experienced. Vaccine hesitancy is more complex than pre-shot anxiety. Individuals who are hesitant either delay vaccination or refuse it altogether due to a variety of factors. Minority populations, particularly Black and Latinx communities, are among the most hesitant. Additionally, quite a few right-wing political groups and those with similar views have voiced their concerns about COVID vaccines.

According to the CDC, over half of the people who have received at least one dose of the vaccine are white (64.2%). Other groups fall far behind, with the closest group being Hispanic/Latino (11.8%), then Black (8.6%), Multiple/Other (8.5%), Asian (5.6%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.1%), and lastly Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander (0.3%). This major disparity, in part, has to do with the inequity of the distribution process. However, vaccine hesitancy from non-white communities plays a significant role in this data.

For our final project for our Media for Community Health and Wellbeing course at Tulane University, we set out to research and answer the question of why certain demographics are unsure or even adamantly against COVID vaccination. We found that for some groups, this issue was a lot more deeply rooted than one may think. The key component in their hesitancy was trust.

Many of those within BIPOC communities fear or simply do not trust medicine and medical professionals. This mistrust has been built up by years of historical unethical treatment and inequity toward their race or ethnicity in the medical field. They also may not trust the government, which is in charge of vaccine distribution, for similar reasons of historical mistreatment or injustice. 

Some of those who are unsure about the vaccine may not have racially or ethnically tied concerns. Common concerns are that the vaccine testing process was rushed and that there may be long-term effects. Another worry is that the vaccines may not be as effective as the companies behind them, or the government, claim. Many, but not all, of those who hold this belief, tend to skew right politically. Both of these issues are also rooted in trust. 

Upon proper research and conversations with medical professionals, we have seen that the track records for vaccination have been very successful. Both Pfizer and Moderna have released statements saying that their shots are still highly effective 6 months following the second dose. While there is much more to be observed, the long-term efficacy and side-effect records are promising.

In order to address the issue of vaccine hesitancy and work towards herd immunity, it is crucial for vaccine providers, trusted medical professionals, and government officials to improve health literacy through the dissemination of facts through various channels such as social media and commercials. If you are vaccinated, you can also help address this issue by sharing your experience with friends and family, as sometimes testimonials from loved ones can be very effective. Though we cannot definitively solve the difficult and complex issue of vaccine hesitancy, we hope that with our below video and by providing the proper resources, we can give some clarity and ease to those who are hesitant.

For more information on COVID-19 vaccination, please visit the web pages below:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/index.html

https://ldh.la.gov/covidvaccine/

https://ready.nola.gov/incident/coronavirus/vaccine/