Ultimately, the success of vaccination programs relies on acceptance of recommended vaccines by communities and individuals. Effective communication plays an important role in fostering public understanding of vaccines, in building vaccine confidence, and in dispelling dis- and misinformation about vaccines. Vaccine communication faces many challenges, however. As highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic, too many messages, even if evidence-based, can create confusion, public health messages about vaccines do not reach all communities or groups, and some actors purposively spread myths and rumors about vaccines.
This special issue will provide a platform to address a broad range of topics related to vaccine communication such as
- vaccine disinformation on social media
- effective strategies for one-on-one communication about vaccines by healthcare providers
- promising communication approaches for public health authorities through use of games or narratives
- communication initiatives to reach vulnerable communities
- validated tools to assess key barriers to vaccination to tailor communication interventions
