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The Critical Public Health Value of Vaccines in the Age of Pandemics – A Workshop
May 28, 2020 - May 29, 2020
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Board on Global Health will host a 1.5-day public workshop May 28-29 that will examine the current state of vaccine preventable diseases and the impact of vaccine access and hesitancy globally, and the multidimensional drivers and impacts of declining vaccine confidence.
This workshop will explore health systems, research opportunities, communication strategies, and policies that could be considered to address access, perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors toward vaccination.
Specifically, this workshop will feature invited presentations and discussions on the following topics:
• The global impact of declining immunization rates on vaccine-preventable diseases from lack of access and confidence;
• Trends and indicators to monitor attitudes surrounding vaccine safety and efficacy, including a focus on regional and cultural differences;
• The complex determinants of vaccination that hinder or promote vaccine uptake;
• The role of health systems and professionals in improving access, influencing vaccine behavior, protecting at-risk communities from vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks, and preserving and building confidence in immunization strategies and practices;
• The role of media, anti-vaccine networks, and online misinformation in reinforcing anxieties about vaccine safety and drivers of vaccine hesitancy;
• Strategies to enhance community-based approaches and community engagement efforts for improving access and reducing vaccine hesitancy;
• Communication approaches that would help assuage anxieties about vaccine safety and strengthen public trust in science and health professionals;
• The ethics and effectiveness of legislation that aim to address vaccine hesitancy; and
• Potential priority actions as well as partnerships and collaborations among policy makers, health professionals, national and international health organizations, parents, and community groups to increase immunization access and vaccine confidence.