The strategy to deal with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy needs to focus on five Cs: confidence, complacency, convenience, communication and context, scientists say today.
The five-pronged tactic should address behavioural and socio-demographic factors behind vaccine hesitancy, according to population health, demographic, epidemiology and behavioural scientists in the new edition of the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine.
They warn complacency, particularly among younger people and those of lower socioeconomic status, is strongly associated with lower vaccine uptake.
Dr Mohammad Razai, of the Population Health Research Institute, St George’s, University of London, UK, said: “As the lower age groups are being offered the vaccine, addressing complacency through repeated risk communication is crucial to facilitate informed decision-making.
“It is important to emphasise the greater societal benefits of population level immunity and the protection it offers to those vulnerable, their families and friends.”
Professor Melinda Mills, Nuffield professor of demography and director of the Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science at Nuffield College and the University of Oxford, said a global effort is needed to understand, analyse and overcome vaccine hesitancy because at least 60-70% of the world’s population needs to be vaccinated to achieve effective herd immunity.
“However, European data show lower intention to be vaccinated amongst racial and ethnic minorities, those with lower education, younger people and people with previously poor compliance with recommended vaccinations,” she said.
“COVID-19 has exacerbated inequalities related to ethnicity and socioeconomic status and higher vaccine hesitancy in these groups could compound it even further.”
They add that tailored, appealing, culturally competent, local community and also multi-lingual messages delivered by organisations such as the Red Cross, Red Crescent and UNICEF could have the highest chance of success in addressing vaccine hesitancy.
Razi RS, Oakeshott P, Esmail A et al. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy: the five Cs to tackle behavioural and socio-demographic factors. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine 3 June 2021; doi: 10.1177/01410768211018951
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