Vaccine hesitancy brings about a substantial risk to the population’s immunity against vaccine-preventable infectious diseases and could potentially lead to thousands of deaths.
Plummeting vaccination rates currently pose a major public health challenge in the United States. A recent viewpoint article in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) by Peter Marks and Robert Califf from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sheds light on the pressing issues surrounding vaccine acceptance and its potential consequences.
The authors highlight the inadequate vaccination rates against respiratory pathogens such as COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The urgency of improving acceptance, especially among older individuals and children, cannot be overstated.
Here are some key insights from the thought-provoking article:
- Reluctance of individuals: The increasing reluctance of individuals to get vaccinated is driven by several factors, ranging from safety apprehensions to religious beliefs. This hesitancy brings about a substantial risk to the population’s immunity against vaccine-preventable infectious diseases and could potentially lead to thousands of deaths.
- Communication challenge: Despite the success of vaccines in preventing morbidity and mortality, the authors highlight the challenge of communicating the ongoing benefits of vaccination. With diseases like smallpox and polio eradicated in the US, complacency has set in the individuals and many may underestimate the actual risk of forgoing vaccination. The authors call for a redoubling of efforts to provide clear, plain-language information on both individual and collective benefits and risks associated with vaccination.
- Misinformation on social media: Vaccine hesitancy, particularly towards childhood vaccines like the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, can be largely attributed to misinformation on social media. The clusters of vaccine hesitancy in middle- to high-income areas, where parents preferred social media narratives over evidence-based vaccine information delivered by clinicians, underscore the need for targeted interventions. The best way to counter the current large volume of vaccine misinformation, they say, is to dilute it with large amounts of truthful, accessible scientific evidence.
- Role of healthcare providers: Clinicians, including retail pharmacists, are identified as trusted sources of information. The authors emphasise the importance of these healthcare professionals in countering vaccine misinformation and promoting evidence-based decision-making. Healthcare professionals need to convey the clear benefits of vaccination in preventing severe illness, hospitalisation, and death.
By combating vaccine misinformation with accurate scientific evidence and creating a deeper understanding of the benefits and risks of vaccination, we can safeguard public health and prevent the resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases.
"Uchanganyiko wa chanjo huleta hatari kubwa kwa kinga ya idadi ya watu dhidi ya magonjwa ya kuambukiza yanayoweza kuzuiwa na chanjo na inaweza kusababisha maelfu ya vifo. """ Kupungua kwa viwango vya chanjo kwa sasa ni changamoto kubwa ya afya ya umma nchini Marekani. Makala ya hivi karibuni katika Jarida la Chama cha Matibabu cha Amerika (JAMA) na Peter Marks na Robert Califf kutoka Idara ya Chakula na Dawa ya Marekani (FDA) inatoa mwangaza juu ya masuala ya haraka yanayohusu kukubalika kwa chanjo na matokeo yake ya uwezekano. "Wanashiriki katika utafiti huo walielezea ""kiwango cha chini cha chanjo dhidi ya vimelea vya kupumua kama vile COVID-19, mafua, na virusi vya kupumua vya syncytial (RSV).""" Uhitaji wa haraka wa kuboresha kukubali, hasa miongoni mwa watu wazima na watoto, hauwezi kusisitizwa. "Hizi ni baadhi ya maoni muhimu kutoka kwa makala ya kuchochea mawazo: ""Kukataa kwa watu binafsi: Kukataa kwa watu binafsi kupata chanjo kunasababishwa na mambo kadhaa, kuanzia wasiwasi wa usalama hadi imani za kidini." "Uchanganyiko huu unaleta hatari kubwa kwa kinga ya idadi ya watu dhidi ya magonjwa ya kuambukiza yanayoweza kuzuiwa na chanjo na inaweza kusababisha maelfu ya vifo. """ - Changamoto ya mawasiliano: Licha ya mafanikio ya chanjo katika kuzuia ugonjwa na vifo, waandishi huangazia changamoto ya kuwasiliana faida za kuendelea za chanjo. Kwa kuwa magonjwa kama vile ugonjwa wa kifafa na polio yametoweka nchini Marekani, watu wengi wameanza kujivunia hali yao na wengi wanaweza kudhani kuwa hatari ya kutokuwa na chanjo ni ndogo. "Wanadai ""kuongeza juhudi za kutoa habari wazi, kwa lugha ya kawaida juu ya faida za mtu binafsi na za pamoja na hatari zinazohusiana na chanjo.""" """Ukosefu wa taarifa sahihi kuhusu chanjo, hasa kuhusu chanjo za utotoni kama vile chanjo ya kipindupindu, kifafa na rubella (MMR), unaweza kuhusishwa na habari sahihi kwenye mitandao ya kijamii." "Makundi ya wasiwasi wa chanjo katika maeneo ya kipato cha kati hadi cha juu, ambapo wazazi walipendelea hadithi za media ya kijamii juu ya habari ya chanjo ya ushahidi iliyotolewa na madaktari, inasisitiza hitaji la hatua za kulenga.""" Njia bora ya kukabiliana na kiasi kikubwa cha habari bandia ya chanjo, wanasema, ni kuipunguza kwa kiasi kikubwa cha ushahidi wa kisayansi wa kweli, unaopatikana. - Jukumu la watoa huduma za afya: Madaktari, ikiwa ni pamoja na maduka ya dawa ya rejareja, hutambuliwa kama vyanzo vya kuaminika vya habari. "Wanahabari wanasisitiza umuhimu wa wataalamu hawa wa huduma za afya katika kukabiliana na habari zisizo sahihi za chanjo na kukuza maamuzi ya msingi wa ushahidi. """ Wataalamu wa huduma za afya wanahitaji kuelezea faida za wazi za chanjo katika kuzuia magonjwa mazito, kulazwa hospitalini, na kifo. Kwa kupambana na habari zisizo sahihi kuhusu chanjo kwa ushahidi sahihi wa kisayansi na kuunda uelewa wa kina wa faida na hatari za chanjo, tunaweza kulinda afya ya umma na kuzuia kuibuka tena kwa magonjwa yanayoweza kuzuiwa na chanjo.