Building Confidence in COVID-19 Vaccination

The COVID-19 vaccines bring the promise of a global rescue from the coronavirus pandemic; however, building people’s confidence in these new vaccines seems to be a herculean task.

Myths and misinformation are arising online through social media. Due to the high demand for information and a short supply of credible sources, people may tend to fill the void with misinformation and conspiracy theories. However, vaccine hesitancy cannot be simplified as exposure to misinformation only. Boosting confidence in the COVID-19 vaccines requires a multilevel approach through working with policy makers, health workers, the public health workforce, media, and governments, among other key stakeholders.

Professors Ethel Maciel, Julie Leask and Anna Odone discussed myths and misinformation surrounding COVID-19, as well as the best approaches and leverages to build confidence in vaccination. This webinar, chaired by Dr Michael Moore and Dr Marta Lomazzi, discussed facts versus misconceptions and disinformation and provided health professionals with the skills and tools to counter those false myths, perform effective advocacy with policy makers, and sustain people and community engagement.

This webinar is available to view by clicking on the link below.

This event is supported by WFPHA, University of Geneva, and Pfizer.

Communication and Trust: Keeping the Public Informed and On Board

The COVID-19 vaccine rollout is a monumental challenge across multiple domains for any country. One major aspect that governments must consider ensuring is clear communication and maintaining the trust of their populations. In fact, two of the key issues in this regard are almost mirror images of each other.

Firstly, vaccine hesitancy has gained momentum globally in recent years, helped by misinformation that is often spread online. Now more than ever, it is paramount that people believe in the science rather than the myths about vaccines. Politicians and health experts need to convince the public of the safety and efficacy demonstrated in clinical trials, to minimize the number of people who refuse to get vaccinated.

Secondly, we know that incredibly high demand for COVID-19 vaccines will far exceed supply for the time being. Large swathes of populations will be waiting months or years before they are immunized. National leaders have drawn up prioritisation strategies so that those who need it most are at the front of the queue (mostly comprising the elderly, medically vulnerable, and healthcare workers). The unenviable task here is informing each group of society when they are due their dose of the vaccine, and coherently justifying this decision.

Operation Vaccination: An Analysis of Global COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout Strategies is a weekly post which will explore the policy, logistics, obstacles and controversies involved in procuring and distributing vaccines against COVID-19.

The theme of this week is “Communication and Trust: Keeping the Public Informed and On Board”.

Focusing on the 9 countries featured in this blog (Brazil, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Nigeria, Taiwan, UK, US) and COVAX, communication strategies are analysed, focusing on mitigating vaccine hesitancy and explanations of the structure and timing of immunization drives. Other areas discussed include conspiracy theories, concerns over vaccines being rushed through the approval process, the use of social media influencers, potential breaches of patient privacy, allegations of skipping the queue, a previous vaccine programme derailed by misinformation, and crucially, how to keep the public’s faith when things inevitably go wrong.

If you have any feedback or specific questions you would like answered, please feel free to contact us.

Indonesia

Taiwan

Which Vaccines and Why: The Evidence and the Deals

In December 2019, SARS-CoV2 announced itself to the world as an entirely brand-new pathogen. We had no data to work with (except experience with other coronaviruses), no immunity in any human population, no therapeutics and of course no vaccines. The global scientific community has made extraordinary progress in learning about this deadly virus and creating tools to combat it. As of 4th February 2021, there are 208 vaccine trials, 79 candidates and 11 vaccines that have been approved by at least one country.1

Operation Vaccination: An Analysis of Global COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout Strategies is a weekly post which will explore the policy, logistics, obstacles and controversies involved in procuring and distributing vaccines against COVID-19.

These articles are a means for the WFPHA to keep readers up to date with how the vaccine race is developing across the world.

The theme of this week is “Which Vaccines and Why: The Evidence and the Deals”.

The table in the link below outlines which vaccines have been approved and/or how many doses have been secured by 9 countries (Brazil, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Nigeria, Taiwan, U.K. and U.S.) and COVAX. Every effort has been made to ensure this information is as accurate as possible at the time of writing.

There is also an article about each of the vaccines being rolled out by these nations (Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, Oxford/AstraZeneca, Sinovac, Covishield & Covaxin). The posts discuss their origins, evidence supporting safety and efficacy, and other key points relating to their potential use as a weapon in the fight against COVID-19.

If you have any feedback or specific questions you would like answered, please feel free to contact us.

Sinovac

Oxford / AstraZeneca

WFPHA Requests Reconsideration of the Plan to Close the Andalusian School of Public Health

Once again, WFPHA wrote a letter to ask for reconsideration regarding the bill proposing the dissolution of the Andalusian School of Public Health (ASPH). The WFPHA initially put forward this request to the Parliament of Andalusia exactly one year ago.

On an international scale, the ASPH has immense prestige, with particular influence in Latin America. As a collaborating centre of the World Health Organization, the ASPH is clearly valued by the broader public health community.

WFPHA believes that this highly distinguished institution must remain autonomous to help promote the health of the Andalusian people and to advance the practice of public health.

Operation Vaccination: An Analysis of Global COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout Strategies

The COVID-19 pandemic is the greatest public health crisis of our lifetimes. Mass immunization is the best chance we have of conquering the disease, but it presents a fiercely complex challenge for governments, healthcare systems and populations.

This weekly post will explore the policy, logistics, obstacles and controversies involved in procuring and distributing vaccines against COVID-19. Under investigation are 9 countries across 5 continents (Brazil, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Nigeria, Taiwan, the UK and the US), as well as COVAX, the global vaccine sharing initiative.

These articles are a means for the WFPHA to keep readers up to date with how the COVID-19 vaccine race is developing across the world. Each week will cover a different theme as it applies to each of the countries being covered.

The theme of this week is “How to Immunize a Nation: The Stories so far”. By clicking on the links below, you can read the story of each country.

If you have any feedback or specific questions you would like answered, please feel free to contact us.

Indonesia

Taiwan

COVID-19 Pandemic in the Amazon – An Urgent Need for International Solidarity

Amazon, a region with so much natural wealth, is the homeland of amongst the poorest people in the Americas, including a high proportion of Indigenous Peoples. The poor and neglected population of the Amazon were the first facing the terrible effects of the pandemic in early 2020. This tragedy is now repeating itself in even greater proportions. The mortality rate of 32 deaths per million inhabitants, is higher than all countries in the world.

Prof De Souza, WFPHA Vice President, said “The entire apparatus to keep the health system functioning – professionals, beds, medicines, supplies and oxygen – is collapsing. Currently, the oxygen supply is insufficient and discontinued. Many people are dying in their homes, without medical attention. This accounts for about 20% of deaths. International solidarity is urgently needed!”.

A more serious concern is the push from business groups for an easing of social isolation measures. Actually, it is the opposite that must be enacted. Such measures protect peoples’ health.

The health crisis in Manaus is a humanitarian crisis that is spreading throughout the entire Amazon region and is shared by nine countries (Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, French Guiana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela).

The WFPHA urges:

• Governments to reinforce the health care structure of the entire region and ensure solidarity between these countries, through the exchange of information, resources and technologies.
• The United Nations to deploy independent international observers, including its Commission on Human Rights, to the state capital of the state of Amazonas as well as to the surrounding regions.