The Strategies to Support the COVID-19 Vaccination with Evidence-Based Communication and Tackling Misinformation

Vaccines

Jacek Jemielity¹  Michał Sutkowski²  Andrzej Fal³  Marcin Drąg⁴  Piotr Rzymski⁵  Agnieszka Mastalerz-Migas⁶  Robert Flisiak⁷  Krzysztof Simon⁸  Joanna Zajkowska⁹  Jacek Wysocki^1,10  Andrzej Matyja^1,11  Jacek Krajewski^1,12  Leszek Borkowski^1,13  Krzysztof Pyrć^1,14 

[1] Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland;College of Family Physicians in Poland, 00-209 Warsaw, Poland;Collegium Medicum, Warsaw Faculty of Medicine, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University, 01-938 Warsaw, Poland;Department of Chemical Biology and Bioimaging, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland;Department of Environmental Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-806 Poznań, Poland;Department of Family Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland;Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-540 Białystok, Poland;Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology,Wrocław Medical University, 51-149 Wrocław, Poland;Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfections, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-540 Białystok, Poland;Department of Preventive Medicine, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, 60-179 Poznań, Poland;Supreme Medical Council of the Polish Supreme Chamber of Physicians and Dentists, 00-764 Warsaw, Poland;The Federation of Healthcare Employers’ Unions “Porozumienie Zielonogórskie”, 65-048 Zielona Góra, Poland;The Foundation “Together in Disease” 05-252 Dąbrówka, Poland;Virogenetics Laboratory of Virology, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Krakow, Poland;

关键词: COVID-19;    vaccine;    science communication;    vaccine hesitancy;    misinformation;   

DOI  :  10.3390/vaccines9020109

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

COVID-19 vaccinations are about to begin in various countries or are already being ongoing. This is an unprecedented operation that is also met with a loud response from anti-vaccine communities—currently using all available channels to manipulate public opinion. At the same time, the strategy to educate on vaccinations, explain their mechanism of action, and build trust in science is subdued in different world parts. Such actions should go much beyond campaigns promoting the COVID-19 vaccines solely on the information provided by the health institutions and national authorities. In this paper, actions provided by independent expert groups needed to counteract the anti-vaccine propaganda and provide scientific-based information to the general public are offered. These actions encompass organizing groups continuously communicating science on COVID-19 vaccines to the general public; tracking and tackling emerging and circulating fake news; and equipping celebrities and politicians with scientific information to ensure the quality of messages they communicate, as well as public letters, and statements of support for vaccination by healthcare workers, recognized scientists, VIPs, and scientific societies; and no tolerance to false and manipulated claims on vaccination spread via traditional and social media as well as by health professionals, scientists, and academics. These activities should be promptly implemented worldwide, regardless of the current status and availability of the COVID-19 vaccine in a particular region. If we are about to control the pandemic for the sake of public benefit, it is high time to collectively speak out as academic and medical societies with support from decision-makers. Otherwise, the battle will be lost to those who stand against scientific evidence while offering no feasible solution to the problem.

【 授权许可】

Unknown