Dr. Heidi Larson, LSHTM: "Public health cannot rest on its laurels."

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The renowned expert on vaccine confidence, Dr. Heidi Larson, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, explains why there has been a precipitous escalation in the past four years, especially among 18-24 year-olds, of vaccine skepticism and resistance. During Covid-19, “everybody got vaccinated,” everyone was exposed to the “digital swarm,” the “wildfire” on social media of mis- and dis-information regarding vaccines. Antivaccine groups amalgamated and rose in power. Public health officials were hesitant to compete on social media. Young parents were unhappy with public health sources of information and looked elsewhere. RFK Jr., his Children’s Health Defense, and the affiliated Informed Consent Action Network (ICAN), have had “massive, massive influence” as amplifiers of doubt and fear of vaccines. What to do? There is an urgent need to engage young leaders, increase public health communications budgets and change their practices and outlook, mobilize local communities, and create new communications partnerships. It requires a “huge effort.”