What causes vaccine hesitancy and how to cover it

Reporting on vaccine hesitancy takes special care. How a story is framed, what quotes are used, and even the questions journalists’ ask sources can unintentionally spread doubt rather than clarity. Accurate reporting requires understanding the factors that contribute to vaccine hesitancy. These factors may include:

Misinformation and disinformation

Anti-vaxxers often use religious or philosophical language to spread mis- and disinformation and encourage followers to refuse vaccinations. When covering:

• Don’t default to implying that those who are vaccine hesitant are simply misinformed. Instead, acknowledge when their hesitancy is rooted in genuine concern or beliefs.
• Address points of misinformation individually, with scientific evidence, and without undue criticism of those who believed it in good faith.

Fear and distrust

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New vaccines often prompt fear about side effects. When covering:

• Recognize that questions about vaccination—from safety to side effects—are a normal part of deciding whether to get a vaccine and should be framed in stories as deliberation rather than anti-vaccine sentiment.
• Pair coverage of deliberation with accurate information about the vaccine in question and stories about the decision making process of community members who have decided to get vaccinated.
• Remember and acknowledge that histories of racist behavior by government or medical institutions generate distrust that can also play a role in acceptance of new vaccines within some communities.

Political partisanship

In the U.S., vaccine hesitancy increasingly falls along political lines. A 2024 Gallup poll found that recent changes in thinking about vaccines is mostly confined to Republicans and conservative independents. The percentage of these voters who believe vaccination is “extremely important” fell by half since 2019, to just 26%. Five years prior, Republicans and Democrats held similar views, the survey showed.

Practical barriers

Logistical barriers are often misperceived as hesitancy. When covering:

• Look at whether it’s easier to get a vaccine or a vaccine exemption in your community. If getting a vaccine exemption is easier than getting a vaccine (e.g., in terms of time requirements, transportation, costs), high exemption rates might not mean that families are opposed to vaccines on principle.
• Examine practical barriers to vaccination, which could include: price of vaccination, location and hours of clinic availability, disability accessibility of the vaccine clinic, or availability of interpreters. Highlighting logistics tells a more complete vaccination story.

Further reading: How hesitancy about COVID vaccines impacts hesitancy today and research on why parents are vaccine-hesitant