COVID-19 vaccines for children: How parents are influenced by misinformation, and how they can counter it

Pediatricians and other health care providers can take some concrete steps toward building trust and counteracting anti-vaccination misinformation.

Maya Ragavan, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences • conversation
Dec. 15, 2021 • ~9 min

Matching tweets to ZIP codes can spotlight hot spots of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy

Machine learning algorithms can help public health officials identify areas of high vaccine hesitancy by ZIP code to better target messaging and outreach and counter misinformation.

Mayank Kejriwal, Research Assistant Professor of Industrial & Systems Engineering, University of Southern California • conversation
Nov. 5, 2021 • ~7 min

Half of unvaccinated workers say they'd rather quit than get a shot – but real-world data suggest few are following through

While surveys have shown a large share of unvaccinated workers threatening to quit over a mandate, the reality is few actually do.

Annie Neimand, Research Director and Digital Strategist for frank, College of Journalism and Communications, University of Florida • conversation
Sept. 24, 2021 • ~5 min

Changing your mind about something as important as vaccination isn't a sign of weakness – being open to new information is the smart way to make choices

People tend to stick with their stated beliefs. But here’s how external forces like vaccine mandates can push people to do something they don’t want to do – and provide some face-saving cover.

Art Markman, Professor of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts • conversation
Sept. 23, 2021 • ~8 min

A direct recommendation from a doctor may be the final push someone needs to get vaccinated

There are a variety of reasons why people do or don’t want to be vaccinated. Depending on how they frame their messaging around vaccination, doctors can often be the deciding factor.

Kimberly Fisher, Associate Professor of Pulmonology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School • conversation
Sept. 17, 2021 • ~7 min

Political orientation predicts science denial – here's what that means for getting Americans vaccinated against COVID-19

Republicans are four times as likely as Democrats to say they’re not going to get the COVID-19 vaccine. What’s behind the polarization of who trusts or denies science?

Adrian Bardon, Professor of Philosophy, Wake Forest University • conversation
Sept. 16, 2021 • ~9 min

Forceful vaccine messages backfire with holdouts – how can it be done better?

Subtly shifting the crafting and delivery of public health messaging on COVID-19 vaccines could go a long way toward persuading many of the unvaccinated to get the shot.

S. Shyam Sundar, James P. Jimirro Professor of Media Effects & Co-Director, Media Effects Research Laboratory, Penn State • conversation
Sept. 14, 2021 • ~9 min

Medicine is an imperfect science – but you can still trust its process

A critical care doctor brings a frontlines perspective to the frustration of dealing firsthand with vaccine hesitancy and discusses the limitations of science and medicine.

Venktesh Ramnath, Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of California San Diego • conversation
Sept. 7, 2021 • ~11 min

How public health partnerships are encouraging COVID-19 vaccination in Mississippi, Michigan, Indiana and South Carolina

Achieving widespread immunity to COVID-19 through vaccination requires as many people as possible to get their shots, including those who object or haven’t bothered.

Omolola Adeoye-Olatunde, Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Purdue University • conversation
Aug. 27, 2021 • ~12 min

Unverified reports of vaccine side effects in VAERS aren't the smoking guns portrayed by right-wing media outlets – they can offer insight into vaccine hesitancy

Anti-vaccine activists are using the side effect reporting system to spread fear and misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccines. But the database could also be used as a gauge for public concerns.

Dominik Stecuła, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Colorado State University • conversation
Aug. 25, 2021 • ~9 min

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