informative speech on vaccines

Intermittent Fasting

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)

The importance of vaccinations.

Last Updated September 2024 | This article was created by familydoctor.org editorial staff and reviewed by Deepak S. Patel, MD, FAAFP, FACSM

What are vaccines?

A vaccine (or immunization) is a way to build your body’s natural immunity to a disease before you get sick. This keeps you from getting and spreading the disease.

For some vaccines, a weakened form of the disease germ is injected into your body. This is usually done with a shot in the leg or arm. Your body detects the invading germs (antigens) and produces antibodies to fight them. Those antibodies then stay in your body for a long time. In many cases, they stay for the rest of your life. If you’re ever exposed to the disease again, your body will fight it off without you ever getting the disease.

Some illnesses, like strains of cold viruses, are fairly mild. But some, like COVID-19, smallpox or polio, can cause life-altering changes. They can even result in death. That’s why preventing your body from contracting these illnesses is very important.

How does immunity work?

Your body builds a defense system to fight foreign germs that could make you sick or hurt you. It’s called your immune system. To build up your immune system, your body must be exposed to different germs. When your body is exposed to a germ for the first time, it produces antibodies to fight it. But that takes time, and you usually get sick before the antibodies have built up. But once you have antibodies, they stay in your body. So, the next time you’re exposed to that germ, the antibodies will attack it, and you won’t get sick.

Path to improved health

Everyone needs vaccines. They are recommended for infants, children, teenagers, and adults. There are widely accepted immunization schedules available. They list what vaccines are needed, and at what age they should be given. Most vaccines are given to children. It’s recommended they receive 12 different vaccines by their 6th birthday. Some of these come in a series of shots. Some vaccines are combined so they can be given together with fewer shots.

The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) believes that immunization is essential to preventing the spread of contagious diseases. Vaccines are especially important for at-risk populations such as young children and older adults. The AAFP offers vaccination recommendations, immunization schedules , and information on disease-specific vaccines.

Being up to date on vaccines is especially important as children head back to school. During the 2021 school year, state-required vaccines among kindergarteners dropped from 95% to 94%. In the 2021-2022 year it fell again to 93%. Part of this was due to disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Is there anyone who can’t get vaccines?

Some people with certain immune system diseases should not receive some types of vaccines and should speak with their health care providers first. There is also a small number of people who don’t respond to a particular vaccine. Because these people can’t be vaccinated, it’s very important everyone else gets vaccinated. This helps preserve the “herd immunity” for the vast majority of people. This means that if most people are immune to a disease because of vaccinations, it will stop spreading.

Are there side effects to vaccines?

There can be side effects after you or your child get a vaccine. They are usually mild. They include redness or swelling at the injection site. Sometimes children develop a low-grade fever. These symptoms usually go away in a day or two. More serious side effects have been reported but are rare.

Typically, it takes years of development and testing before a vaccine is approved as safe and effective. However, in cases affecting a global, public health crisis or pandemic, it is possible to advance research, development, and production of a vaccine for emergency needs. Scientists and doctors at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) study the research before approving a vaccine. They also inspect places where the vaccines are produced to make sure all rules are being followed. After the vaccine is released to the public, the FDA continues to monitor its use. It makes sure there are no safety issues.

The benefits of their use far outweigh any risks of side effects.

What would happen if we stopped vaccinating children and adults?

If we stopped vaccinating, the diseases would start coming back. Aside from smallpox, all other diseases are still active in some part of the world. If we don’t stay vaccinated, the diseases will come back. There would be epidemics, just like there used to be.

This happened in Japan in the 1970s. They had a good vaccination program for pertussis (whooping cough). Around 80% of Japanese children received a vaccination. In 1974, there were 393 cases of whooping cough and no deaths. Then rumors began that the vaccine was unsafe and wasn’t needed. By 1976, the vaccination rate was 10%. In 1979, there was a pertussis epidemic, with more than 13,000 cases and 41 deaths. Soon after, vaccination rates improved, and the number of cases went back down.

Things to consider

There have been many misunderstandings about vaccines. There are myths and misleading statements that spread on the internet and social media about vaccines. Here are answers to 5 of the most common questions/misconceptions about vaccines.

Vaccines do NOT cause autism.

Though multiple studies have been conducted, none have shown a link between autism and vaccines. The initial paper that started the rumor has since been discredited.

Vaccines are NOT too much for an infant’s immune system to handle.

Infants’ immune systems can handle much more than what vaccines give them. They are exposed to hundreds of bacteria and viruses every day. Adding a few more with a vaccine doesn’t add to what their immune systems are capable of handling.

Vaccines do NOT contain toxins that will harm you.

Some vaccines contain trace amounts of substances that could be harmful in a large dose. These include formaldehyde, aluminum, and mercury. But the amount used in the vaccines is so small that the vaccines are completely safe. For example, over the course of all vaccinations by the age of 2, a child will take in 4mg of aluminum. A breast-fed baby will take in 10mg in 6 months. Soy-based formula delivers 120mg in 6 months. In addition, infants have 10 times as much formaldehyde naturally occurring in their bodies than what is contained in a vaccine. And the toxic form of mercury has never been used in vaccines.

Vaccines do NOT cause the diseases they are meant to prevent.

This is a common misconception, especially about the flu vaccine. Many people think they get sick after getting a flu shot. But flu shots contain dead viruses—it’s impossible to get sick from the shot but mild symptoms can occur because the vaccine may trigger an immune response, which is normal. Even with vaccines that use weakened live viruses, you could experience mild symptoms similar to the illness. But you don’t actually have the disease.

We DO still need vaccines in the U.S., even though infection rates are low.

Many diseases are uncommon in the U.S. because of our high vaccination rate. But they haven’t been eliminated from other areas of the world. If a traveler from another country brings a disease to the U.S., anyone who isn’t vaccinated is at risk of getting that disease. The only way to keep infection rates low is to keep vaccinating.

Questions to ask your doctor

Why does my child need to be vaccinated?
What are the possible side effects of the vaccination?
What do I do if my child experiences a side effect from the vaccine?
What happens if my child doesn’t get all doses of the recommended vaccines? Will he or she be able to go to daycare or school?
We missed a vaccination. Can my child still get it late?
Are there new vaccines that aren’t on the immunization schedules for kids?
What should I do if I don’t have health insurance, or my insurance doesn’t cover vaccinations?
What vaccinations do I need as an adult?
Why do some people insist they became sick after getting the flu vaccine?

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Vaccines & Immunizations

Last Updated: September 6, 2024

This article was contributed by familydoctor.org editorial staff.

This information provides a general overview and may not apply to everyone. Talk to your family doctor to find out if this information applies to you and to get more information on this subject.

Most schools and daycares require certain childhood vaccines, but they’re also good for your child’s health.

Certain immunizations are important at every age to reduce illness, hospitalization, or death.

A preventive service might be a test, an immunization or vaccine, or advice from your doctor. These services can…

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Communicating about the COVID-19 Vaccines: Guidance and Sample Messages for Public Health Practitioners

May 5, 2021

Focus Areas Capacity Building & Leadership
Programs Berkeley Media Studies Group
Strategic Initiatives COVID-19 , Vaccine Access & Equity

Communicating about the COVID-19 vaccines: Guidance and sample messages for public health practitioners

The first COVID-19 vaccines will soon be available in the United States. The science is clear: Vaccines save lives. But despite overwhelming evidence of their effectiveness, vaccines remain a contentious issue, with municipalities across the country often receiving vocal pushback in response to their efforts to implement immunization programs. With the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic, and the race to develop vaccines, the debate has taken on a new importance.

This resource, from PHI’s Berkeley Media Studies Group, contains tips to help public health leaders communicate more clearly and effectively about vaccines. Residents will have many questions about the rollout of the vaccine, and policymakers, the media, and the public are turning to public health practitioners for accurate, timely information. Public health practitioners can communicate effectively even in this chaotic time. Other public health issues — like practicing safer sex — have shown us that widespread shifts in individuals’ behavior to support health actions is possible, even though it can be challenging.

There is no one easy communication solution, but here BMSG provides some quick tips for:

communicating effectively about the COVID-19 vaccines, or vaccines in general, and
bringing equity forward in your communication.

At the end of this resource, there are general tips for good communication.

When you communicate about the COVID-19 vaccines, or vaccines in general, remember …

Meet people where they are.

Most people’s willingness to vaccinate falls on a continuum from acceptance, to questioning, to doubt, to outright rejection. Diverse groups across that continuum — even people who intend to get the vaccine — will have questions about vaccine safety that need to be answered, especially regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccine opponents are very visible and vocal in political debates on vaccines in general and the COVID-19 vaccine in particular, which can increase doubt.

Some who are considering, but have questions about, the vaccine may fear or resent being cast as “anti-vax” or having their concerns dismissed as ridiculous. Recognize where your audience may be on the spectrum of vaccine support and avoid stereotyping people who ask questions or express reluctance as “anti-vax.” Instead, use language like “vaccine hesitant” or “vaccine questioning,” acknowledge that people are seeking to stay healthy and safe, and assure them that having questions is an important part of the process.

Since your audience will be confronted with a barrage of information about the COVID-19 pandemic, make sure to acknowledge that, beyond questions, your audience may have legitimate, deep-seated fears about the vaccine and the pandemic itself. Research has shown that acknowledging an audience’s fears and doubts about difficult subjects can help assuage those fears , build trust in messengers, and circumvent shame and frustration. When you acknowledge your audience’s stance about vaccinations — and the complex emotions they may be feeling — it helps them remain open to what you have to say.

Putting it into practice: Meeting people where they are

Sample message that helps people understand the research process: We understand that some people may be nervous about the COVID-19 vaccines — this is totally reasonable. Fortunately, researchers have been working on vaccines for the coronavirus family for years, so they did not have to start from scratch. As researchers have been working intensely to develop and test the vaccine, they have been transparent in sharing data, holding live hearings, and pausing trials when it’s been important to slow down. Vaccine makers have also pledged that they would not seek FDA approval until phase 3 testing is done. All of this has given us trust and confidence in vaccination — a critical tool in our toolbox in slowing the spread of COVID-19 and helping our communities move forward. *We have sacrificed so much this year to keep our loved ones and community safe. **While we know getting vaccinated isn’t always comfortable, you can play a big role to support our county by keeping yourself and your family up-to-date on vaccinations — including the seasonal flu shot and the COVID-19 vaccine once it is available. By staying updated on immunizations, we can make sure our sacrifice and efforts to fight COVID-19 keep everyone safe. *Conveys health department identity and values **Acknowledges that vaccination can be uncomfortable and notes sacrifice of community (Adapted from Dr. Theresa Chapple’s Twitter thread)

Clearly explain the COVID-19 immunization process.

Between the news and social media, there are multiple sources demanding your audience’s attention with conflicting and confusing messages. Public health practitioners are an especially important source for providing credible and consistent information to the public because they can explain what will happen locally. Materials should make it easy for residents to understand the process of the vaccine rollout and specific technical questions. Prepare materials that use clear, plain language to answer questions like:

Where and when can people get the vaccine?
What will people feel like after they receive the vaccine? Are there side effects? What does it mean if I don’t feel good after I get the shots?
Why do people need to receive two vaccinations from the same manufacturer? How can people know which one they are receiving?
Are there costs associated with the vaccine? If so, will my insurance pay?
Who determines which groups get the vaccine first? Why are some groups prioritized?
Do we still need to wear masks and keep social distancing while we roll out vaccinations?
Where can people get more information?

To bring racial equity forward in communicating about COVID-19 vaccines …

Prepare for discomfort and distrust.

Multiple articles and advocates have noted that there are good reasons for people, especially Black , Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander, and other people of color, to distrust the medical and public health fields. This distrust extends to recommendations about the COVID-19 vaccine.

There are no magic words that can build trust and erase centuries of medical and public health neglect and abuse. Much racial equity work extends beyond communication to transforming organizations, engaging with communities who have been most harmed to help support their power-building efforts, and doing the long-term work it takes to earn the trust of communities that have been harmed by medicine and public health. By building relationships that encompass organizing for policy change, providing COVID testing and treatment, listening to the needs of communities, and addressing the structural factors that create greater exposure to and poorer treatment for COVID, public health practitioners can build a strong communication infrastructure that helps earn community trust.

Build relationships with trusted messengers from diverse organizations and community groups.

While using clear messaging to align the voices of elected officials, health officers, public health advocates, and medical professionals is essential, these messengers may not be the most trusted entities within parts of our communities. Health departments should engage with and center the voices and perspectives of trusted messengers who have roots in the community; they should also embrace and acknowledge those who may be justifiably distrustful of government and medicine. Trusted messengers could include Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian Pacific Islander communities, and other health care practitioners of color, as well as people from community organizations, faith communities, youth organizations, parent and caregiver groups, or unions. Developing long-term relationships with these and other trusted community members takes time — but it is essential. Local health departments can listen to these groups’ concerns and provide support and resources to ensure they have timely, accurate, and concise information to tailor to their communities.

Name racial equity explicitly.

While public health practitioners engage in the long-term work of trust-building to support equity, in the short-term they also need to address racial equity proactively when they communicate about COVID-19. BMSG’s research shows that vaccine opponents regularly invoke historical instances of racially motivated medical oppression to undermine trust in the medical system and government overall. If vaccine supporters stay silent on racial equity, they are conceding the issue to vaccine opponents. A health department could, for example, engage strong supporters and allies — and elevate racial equity — by saying how racism has been used as a tool used to divide us and showing how the department is working to create a healthy community for all residents.

Putting it into practice: Sample language for centering racial equity

Our health department believes that everyone in our county should have the opportunity to be as safe and healthy as possible. This means we must pay particular attention to the communities who are most at risk for COVID-19 and have less access to the supports they need to stay healthy. We know that Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian and Pacific Islander communities, and other communities of color are most at risk for exposure to COVID — and suffer poorer health outcomes if they get it — because they are often locked out of affordable homes, safe transportation, quality health care, and jobs that offer paid sick leave and options to work from home. Many of our essential workers who keep our country running — our bus drivers, our farmworkers, our grocery store workers — are from these same communities. This is why they will be among the first to have the option to be vaccinated. And it is why the national recommendations are prioritizing essential workers, in addition to health care workers. The COVID-19 vaccines offer an important opportunity to support and protect those who have been and stand to be most harmed by COVID-19. We know this is only part of the solution, and we must also commit to addressing the social factors that affect our health and that will reduce inequities in health outcomes, like universal basic income, equitable school funding, eviction moratoriums and rent cancellation, and releasing people who are in prison.

Show how the COVID-19 vaccine fits into a larger public health strategy.

Dr. Camara Jones notes that it is important to avoid framing the “vaccine as the cure”: If we talk about vaccines in isolation, we risk reinforcing deeply held beliefs that health (or ill health) is purely a matter of individual behaviors (like choosing to get the vaccine) and obscuring the broader structural factors — like housing, jobs, or health care access — that also impact health and must be taken into account. To integrate equity into our vaccine messages, we need to describe, even briefly, some of the structural factors that affect health in the “landscape” that surrounds us. Evoking the landscape acknowledges the reality that for many communities, a vaccine isn’t going to solve some of the most pressing problems of hunger , job loss , looming rents , crowded prisons , and underfunded schools . Recognizing these realities is one part of building trust and shows that our public health organizations are committed to the full spectrum of needed interventions.

Name what your health department is doing that illustrates public health’s commitment to the hard work it will take to achieve equity, justice, and health for all.

Connect communication about vaccines to these other necessary interventions as a way to build momentum for the systemic changes we need to support racial and health equity. For example, a health department could name immunization as one of a number of strategies to promote community health, in concert with a universal basic income, equitable school funding, eviction and rent moratoriums, and releasing people who are in prison. These strategies might not be the centerpiece of all vaccine messages, especially shorter messages, but they can be part of our communication with the communities we serve.

For good communication, remember …

Always have a clear goal.

Even if the goal seems obvious — like encouraging residents to get vaccinated and ensuring they have all the information they need to do so — be sure all staff developing communication materials understand the goal, audience, key messages, and next steps for each communication opportunity. Review the Layers of Strategy to help set goals and target audiences for short-term and long-term communication. This tool, and the goal you set, will guide the decisions you will make, including what messages to develop.

Keep values front and center.

Messages that lead with values are effective because they move us and motivate us to act. Values like unity, interconnectedness, justice, or pride of place reinforce a vision of what we create together by getting vaccinated: For example, a health department representative could describe how the COVID-19 vaccine keeps the entire community safe, secure, and protected — from teachers to hospital workers and small business owners. You can do this simply by using titles and subtitles that include values (such as “Vaccinating makes everyone safer”). Values are also importing in keeping the focus on equity and equity-focused solutions that emphasize unity, interconnectedness, and inclusion.

Putting it into practice: Sample message from a local health department that leads with values

Our health department’s goal has always been to keep everyone in our county safe and healthy, and that is especially true in this challenging time. We know our residents care about the health of our communities, too. Our hospital beds are filling up, and our doctors, nurses, and health care staff are going above and beyond to take care of our communities. Our small businesses and the people who work there are struggling to stay afloat. One way we can keep each other healthy, support our health care workers, and get California back on its feet is to get vaccinated against COVID-19. When we get vaccinated, we can slow the surge to help our nurses, doctors, schools, fellow community members, and businesses.

Name your solution.

In public health, we often talk more about the problem than the solution — aim to reverse that. The solution could be a policy, like an eviction moratorium or paid sick leave, or an action like people getting vaccinated to prevent community spread of COVID.

Avoid repeating false claims.

Doing so risks inadvertently amplifying and strengthening inaccurate information. Occasionally, public health practitioners may not be able to avoid addressing false claims. In these situations, create messages that sandwich misinformation about vaccinations between the facts about safety and widely shared values about protecting communities. When combined with shared values like trust and protection, this approach, known as a “truth sandwich,” may be an effective tool. Cognitive linguist George Lakoff and journalists are using this technique. Lakoff’s recipe is:

Start with the truth. The first frame gets the advantage.
Indicate the lie. Avoid amplifying the specific language if possible, and don’t repeat what’s not true.
Return to the truth. Always repeat truths more than lies.

Putting it into practice: Sample language for a “truth sandwich”

1. Start with the truth: Our health department’s goal has always been to keep the people in our county safe and healthy, and that is especially true in this challenging time. The COVID-19 vaccines, in addition to ongoing handwashing, distancing, and mask-wearing, offer us a new opportunity to protect ourselves and those around us, from our friends and family to the people ringing up our groceries. We know you want to stay safe and keep your family safe, and part of that involves ensuring you have the information you need about the vaccines to make an informed decision. 2. Indicate, but don’t repeat, the lie: We know many people have questions about the vaccine, and some people who are opposed to it have frightened people with misinformation about the vaccine. 3. Return to the truth: At the same time, there are many people who want to get the vaccine or are considering it because it can mean that we keep our loved ones safe, our schools open, get our local businesses back on their feet, and move our communities forward. As more people are vaccinated, we can protect health care and essential workers, people who are at highest risk, and our broader community. Our focus is on listening to your questions, providing clear, accurate, science-based information, and keeping our community’s health front and center.

For good communication, AVOID traps like …

Trying to say everything.

You can’t be strategic and comprehensive at the same time. Stay focused on the top communication priorities that stem from your goal. This may feel at odds with including details about the broader “landscape” that surrounds us, but if our overarching goal centers equity, we can be strategic about how to talk about the landscape.

Trying to persuade everyone.

Many residents are already eager to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Others aren’t so sure but are open to learning more. And some people will not change their stance, regardless of evidence and strong messages. There’s no one message that will move everyone to be vaccinated, especially those who have politicized the issue. Focus your time and energy on developing messages for those who are willing and need information and for those who are hesitant but open to learning more, rather than trying to persuade those who are completely opposed to vaccination.

Engaging in fruitless arguments.

Responding to social media agitators can be emotionally and cognitively exhausting, and it takes up precious time and resources. Sometimes the best response is no response — often agitators are trying to elicit a reaction and redirect the conversation. Engaging with them pulls more eyes to their accounts and comments. If you decide to respond, create two or three rotating messages that lead with values. Use those messages to respond quickly and move on. Advanced preparation will also reduce the risk of your messaging being reactive. Agitators are not likely to let things go — your goal should be to neutralize their misinformation.

Putting it into practice: Sample language for a social media response to misinformation

Thanks for commenting. To keep everyone in [county name] safe and healthy, we’re using the best science available to address COVID’s threat to our health and economic well-being, including providing the COVID-19 vaccines. We know people have many questions about the vaccine — you can find the most accurate and up-to-date information here: [add website].

Shaming peo ple.

Public health has been successful in shaming industries like Big Tobacco, but shaming individuals rarely works in public health campaigns. And from an equity perspective, people of color have good reason to be cautious about the COVID-19 vaccine. Don’t shame or scold people — instead, meet them where they are by recognizing that these are challenging times, and acknowledge their concerns and questions.

Using jargon.

Plain and simple language can make even complex ideas accessible and comprehensible to a broad range of audiences. Whenever possible, have people outside of your immunization program, and ideally outside of public health, review your materials for words and phrases they do not understand. Create a list of alternatives to jargon that your whole team can add to and use.

See the Sharable Instagram Slides

View our sharable Instagram slides and scroll through for tips from PHI’s Berkeley Media Studies Group for guidance on how to communicate more clearly and effectively about vaccines, build trust by engaging with trusted messengers, and bring forward racial equity.

See the slides and spread the word

Originally published by Berkeley Media Studies Group

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Communities across the U.S. and around the world are grappling with dangerous wildfires and extreme heat. These threats disrupt and uproot communities and pose serious risks to environmental and community health—from rising temperatures, unhealthy air pollutants, water contamination and more. Find PHI tools, resources and examples to help communities take action and promote climate safety, equity and resiliency.

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Director-General's opening remarks at the World Health Assembly - 24 May 2021

Your Excellency Madam President, Ambassador Keva Bain,

Your Excellency Alain Berset, Federal Counsellor of Switzerland,

Excellencies, distinguished colleagues and friends,

Lucy Nyambura is a health promotion officer in Mombasa City, Kenya.

When COVID-19 arrived last year, a strict lockdown was introduced, but it was met with strong resistance by the local community, who refused to be tested, isolated or treated.

As she made her daily rounds, providing information about the dangers of the new virus, Lucy was insulted in the streets and she and her team sometimes had to stop working for their own safety.

But Lucy kept going back to the community. After weeks of engaging leaders, things started to change. Communities started following COVID-19 guidelines and accepted to be tested. The spread of the virus was curtailed and the lockdown was removed.

Asante sana, Lucy.

Dr Gantsengel Purev is an intensive care specialist at the Central Military Hospital in Ulanbataar, Mongolia.

This is what he said:

“During my first shift, I lost my grandmother to COVID-19. She died in my arms. During my last shift, three people died in an hour. My patients are no different to my grandmother and grandfather. Many patients recover and leave the hospital. What keeps me going is two words from them: thank you.”

Dr Catalin Denciu is an intensive care specialist in Romania. He was on duty in November last year, caring for patients with COVID-19, when a fire broke out in the hospital.

Ten patients died in the fire, and in trying to save others, Dr Denciu suffered third-degree burns to 40% of his body.

Today we will honour him with an award for his service, sacrifice and example.

These are just a few examples. There are millions more; stories of courage, heartbreak, desperation, struggle and triumph.

For almost 18 months, health and care workers all over the world have stood in the breach between life and death.

They have saved countless lives, and fought for others who despite their best efforts, slipped away.

Many have themselves become infected, and while reporting is scant, we estimate that at least 115 000 health and care workers have paid the ultimate price in the service of others.

Health and care workers do heroic things, but they are not superheroes. They are humans like the rest of us.

They sweat and swear; they laugh and cry; they fear and hope.

Many feel frustrated, helpless and unprotected, with a lack of access to personal protective equipment and vaccines, and the tools to save lives.

In this International Year of the Health and Care Worker, we have all been reminded that these are incredible people doing incredible jobs under incredible circumstances.

We owe them so much, and yet globally health and care workers often lack the protection, the equipment, the training, the decent pay, the safe working conditions and the respect they deserve.

The job can be dangerous and disheartening; but it can also be the best job on earth.

A year ago, we published the first State of the World’s Nursing Report, and just last week we launched the third State of the World’s Midwifery Report, showing the world faces a global shortage of 900 000 midwives.

If we have any hope of achieving a healthier, safer, fairer future, every Member State must protect and invest in its health and care workforce as a matter of urgency.

This week you will consider two draft resolutions on the health workforce. I hope you will adopt them and, more importantly, take action on them, in every country.

Just as health and care workers are the lifeblood of every health system, so the lifeblood of WHO is its staff – the incredible people all over the world I am honoured to call my colleagues, in country and regional offices, and here at headquarters.

For almost 18 months, they have worked under extreme pressure, and time and time again they have gone above and beyond to serve you, our Member States, despite the modest resources they have to do their jobs.

The success of this Organization depends on its people. And we are committed to doing much more to build a WHO that attracts the best, and gives them the best opportunities, in the best working environment.

As you know, the Regional Directors and I have made 2021 the Year of the WHO Workforce.

As part of our commitment to strengthening the health and care workforce globally, as well as our own workforce, the WHO Academy will be a major addition to global health learning, as President Macron indicated earlier.

The Academy’s digital learning platform has been built and will begin global testing next week. The first batch of learning programmes are in the final stages of production, translation and testing and will be rolled out by September.

With thanks to France for its support, we are moving forward with plans to build the WHO Academy campus in Lyon.

Today I ask you not for a moment’s silence, but to make the loudest noise you can. Please join me in clapping, shouting and stamping your feet for every health and care worker everywhere.

Excellencies,

Although we have lost so many health and care workers already, we will lose many more as long as the pandemic rages.

Almost 18 months into the defining health crisis of our age, the world remains in a very dangerous situation.

As of today, more cases have been reported so far this year than in the whole of 2020.

On current trends, the number of deaths will overtake last year’s total within the next three weeks.

Since our Health Assembly started this morning, almost 1000 people have lost their lives to COVID-19. And in the time it takes me to make these remarks, a further 400 will die. This is very tragic.

We are pleased that for three consecutive weeks we have seen a downturn in the number of cases and deaths being reported.

But globally, we remain in a fragile situation.

No country should assume it is out of the woods, no matter its vaccination rate.

So far, no variants have emerged that significantly undermine the efficacy of vaccines, diagnostics or therapeutics.

But there is no guarantee that will remain the case.

This virus is changing constantly. Future changes could render our tools ineffective and drag us back to square one.

We must be very clear: the pandemic is not over, and it will not be over until and unless transmission is controlled in every last country.

WHO’s Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan sets out the 10 pillars that every country must apply in a tailored and dynamic way to reduce exposure, prevent infections, limit the spread, and save lives.

Every country can do more:

Increase surveillance, testing, sequencing, and sharing information;

Surge supplies needed to protect health workers;

Fight misinformation and disinformation;

Empower people and communities to play their part;

Support businesses and workplaces to take steps to open up safely, where appropriate;

Implement national vaccination strategies, vaccinate those most at risk, and donate vaccines to COVAX.

The ongoing vaccine crisis is a scandalous inequity that is perpetuating the pandemic.

More than 75% of all vaccines have been administered in just 10 countries.

There is no diplomatic way to say it: a small group of countries that make and buy the majority of the world’s vaccines control the fate of the rest of the world.

The number of doses administered globally so far would have been enough to cover all health workers and older people, if they had been distributed equitably. We could have been in a much better situation.

I understand that every government has a duty to protect its own people.

I understand that every government wants to vaccinate its entire population.

That’s what we want too. And in time, there will be enough supply for everyone, including those at lower risk.

But right now, there is not enough supply. Countries that vaccinate children and other low-risk groups now do so at the expense of health workers and high-risk groups in other countries. That’s the reality.

At the Executive Board meeting in January, I issued a challenge to see vaccination of health workers and older people underway in all countries within the first 100 days of the year.

That target was very nearly achieved.

But the number of doses available to COVAX remains vastly inadequate.

COVAX works. We have shipped every single one of the 72 million doses we have been able to get our hands on so far to 125 countries and economies.

But those doses are sufficient for barely 1 percent of the combined population of those countries.

So today I am calling on Member States to support a massive push to vaccinate at least 10 percent of the population of every country by September, and a “drive to December” to achieve our goal of vaccinating at least 30 percent by the end of the year.

This is crucial to stop severe disease and death, keep our health workers safe and reopen our societies and economies.

Sprinting to our September goal means we must vaccinate 250 million more people in low- and middle-income countries in just four months, including all health workers and the most at-risk groups as the first priority.

These are the minimum targets we should aim for. At the G20 Global Health Summit on Friday, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva proposed vaccinating 40 percent of the world’s population by the end of the year and 60 percent by mid-2022.

We are in discussions with the IMF, Member States and our partners about how to make these ambitious targets achievable.

Here’s how the “Drive to December” must happen:

First, share doses through COVAX, now.

I welcome the commitments made by Member States to donate doses, including the important announcements made at the G20 Global Health Summit on Friday.

But to achieve the goals for September and the end of the year, we need hundreds of millions more doses, we need them to go through COVAX, and we need them to start moving in early June.

Manufacturers must play their part, by ensuring any country that wants to share doses through COVAX can do it within days, not months.

I call on all manufacturers to give COVAX first right of refusal on new volume of vaccines, or to commit 50% of their volumes to COVAX this year.

And we need every country that receives vaccines to use them as quickly as possible. No dose can lay idle, or worse, be thrown away.

Country-level preparations to reach their populations must move as fast as vaccines.

Second, scale-up manufacturing.

The bottom line is that we need a lot more doses, we need them fast, and we must leave no stone unturned to get them.

Several manufacturers have said they have capacity to produce vaccines if the originator companies are willing to share licenses, technology and know-how.

I find it difficult to understand why this has not happened yet.

I thank India and South Africa for their initiative at the World Trade Organization to waive intellectual property protections for COVID-19 products, and I thank those countries that are supporting these efforts.

And we urge Member States and manufacturers to join C-TAP, the WHO COVID-19 Technology Access Pool, which provides a powerful mechanism for sharing licenses in a non-exclusive, transparent way.

I thank Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez for his commitment that Spain will join C-TAP, and we expect more good news in the coming days.

And third, fully fund the ACT Accelerator.

There remains an 18.5 billion US dollar gap in the ACT Accelerator.

Ultimately, the pandemic has shown clearly that in an emergency, low and lower-middle income countries cannot rely on imports from vaccine-producing countries.

I welcome the draft resolution on strengthening local production of medicines and other health technologies that Member States will consider at this Assembly.

I would also like to take this opportunity to express my deep appreciation to President Biden for reversing the decision to take the United States out of WHO, for donating US$4 billion to COVAX, and also for their announcement that they will donate 80 million vaccine doses globally – these are the largest contributions announced – and for supporting the intellectual property waiver.

In November, I gave Member States a detailed description of the incredible breadth and depth of WHO’s work beyond the pandemic.

In the six months since then, there have been even more achievements to be proud of.

As part of our commitment to transparency, the 2021 Results Report provides a wealth of information in an interactive, engaging, easy-to-use digital format. I commend it to you.

As a complement to the Results Report, we held the triple billion showcases, updated the triple billion dashboard, and we continue to hold ourselves accountable through delivery stocktakes, to review progress and identify challenges.

We have built the World Health Data Hub to provide complete, transparent and open data, on an interactive and easily searchable platform.

And the annual World Health Statistics, published last week, presents the latest data on more than 50 health-related indicators for the “triple billion” targets and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Among its other findings, preliminary estimates suggest there were at least 3 million excess deaths globally in 2020, attributable either directly or indirectly to COVID-19, representing 1.2 million more deaths than the 1.8 million officially reported.

One of the features of the 13 th General Programme of Work and the WHO Transformation is to drive a paradigm shift in global health by increasing the emphasis on promoting health and preventing disease; focusing on healthy lifestyles.

On current trends, we estimate that about 900 million more people could be enjoying better health and well-being by 2023, taking us very close to our target of 1 billion.

But progress is uneven, and more than a third of countries are heading in the wrong direction.

We have made mixed progress in addressing the major risk factors for noncommunicable diseases.

Tobacco use continues to decline, but the prevalence of obesity is rising, as is alcohol consumption in some regions.

At the beginning of this year, WHO launched a year-long campaign called Commit to Quit, to encourage at least 100 million of the world’s 1.3 billion tobacco users to quit.

Six weeks ago, we released our technical manual on tobacco tax policy and administration. Many countries are showing leadership in this area, and in implementing the other measures in the MPOWER package of interventions.

The Gambia has just increased its tobacco excise tax rates, Bolivia passed a comprehensive tobacco control law, and with WHO support, six African countries banned smoking in public places and on public transport.

We also see progress in efforts to improve nutrition, and to support consumers to make healthier food choices.

Last year we launched a programme to certify countries that have eliminated trans fats from their food supply, and 14 countries have now introduced best-practice policies on trans fats, protecting 589 million people from their harmful effects.

Earlier this month we published new benchmarks for sodium content in more than 60 categories of food, and last year Mexico implemented front-of-pack labelling.

On occupational health, we worked with the International Labour Organization to developed guidance to protect workers from COVID-19.

We’re working with the UN Environment Programme to support 40 countries to establish legally-binding controls on lead paint, a significant source of childhood poisoning.

Together with UN partners, in March of this year we published the first Global report on Ageism.

A month ago we released a new technical package called Step Safely to prevent and manage falls, an increasing cause of death and disability for people of all ages.

In April, UN Member States adopted a resolution committing to greater efforts to prevent drowning, in line with WHO recommendations.

With UN Women, we launched a new report representing the largest study ever conducted on the prevalence of violence against women, showing that almost one in three women globally has suffered intimate partner violence, sexual violence from a non-partner, or both, at least once in their lives.

With our partners at FAO, OIE and UNEP, we created the One Health High-Level Expert Panel, which met for the first time last week. The panel will be instrumental in guiding development of a dynamic new research agenda and providing high-level policy leadership.

Despite these achievements, progress in addressing the root causes of death and disease remains vastly insufficient and inequitable.

Globally, only 3 percent of health budgets are spent on promotion and prevention. And yet increased investment in these areas could reduce the global disease burden by half, generating massive returns for individuals, families, communities and nations.

An investment of 1 dollar per person per year could save 8.2 million lives and US$350 billion by 2023.

The pandemic has been a significant setback in our efforts to support Member States to progress towards universal health coverage, as you know.

On current trends, we project that an additional 290 million people will have access to high-quality health services, without financial hardship by 2023.

That leaves a shortfall of 710 million against our target to see 1 billion more people benefiting from universal health coverage.

The world is far behind.

With renewed determination and increased investment in primary health care and public health, we estimate that a further 400 million people could be covered with essential services by 2025.

But at least half the world’s population still lacks access to these services.

According to our most recent estimates, about 930 million people suffer catastrophic health spending each year, and about 90 million are pushed into extreme poverty by out-of-pocket health spending.

Globally, there remain huge gaps in access to essential medicines, including antibiotics, insulin, anti-hypertensives, diagnostics and treatment for cancer, and routine immunizations.

Antimicrobial resistance remains an existential and largely unaddressed threat to a century of medical progress.

And although we have seen a steady increase in service coverage over the last few years, the pandemic has caused severe disruption to essential health services.

Our most recent Pulse Survey, published one month ago, shows that during the first three months of this year, 94% of the 135 countries and territories surveyed reported some kind of disruption to services.

To give one example, data published in March suggest an estimated 1.4 million fewer people received care for TB last year – 21% less than in 2019. This disruption could cause an additional half a million deaths.

60 mass immunization campaigns are currently postponed in 50 countries, putting around 228 million people – mostly children – at risk for measles, yellow fever, polio and more.

However, we do see signs of recovery.

And despite disruptions to services, there have been significant achievements.

Globally, the prevalence of hepatitis B virus in children under 5 years is now below 1 percent, meaning the SDG target has already been achieved.

More than 9.4 million people globally have received treatment for hepatitis C, a 9-fold increase since 2015;

And this week we will publish interim guidance for validation of viral hepatitis elimination, with assessments to start in Brazil, Egypt, Georgia, Mongolia and Rwanda.

Ten days ago, the Commonwealth of Dominica received certification for the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and congenital syphilis.

On malaria, although the global decline in infections and deaths has stalled, there are still causes for celebration.

In February, El Salvador became the first country in Central America, and the 39 th country or territory globally, to be certified as malaria-free.

More than 670 000 children have now received the first dose of the RTS,S malaria vaccine in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi as part of a pilot programme coordinated by WHO, with financial support from Gavi, Unitaid and the Global Fund. Preliminary results are very positive.

On tuberculosis, more than 20 million people received access to TB services over the past 2 years, almost 5 million more than the previous 2 years.

109 countries started using new effective TB drugs, while 89 countries reported using better and faster treatments for multidrug-resistant TB, in line with updated WHO treatment guidelines.

On neglected tropical diseases, we have a new roadmap that sets global targets and milestones to prevent, control, eliminate and eradicate 20 NTDs and disease groups.

So far this year, only 3 human cases of Guinea worm disease have been reported, compared with 17 for the same period last year.

Last month, Gambia eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, while in March Côte d’Ivoire became the second country after Togo to eliminate African trypanosomiasis.

On noncommunicable diseases, WHO has supported 36 countries to integrate services to prevent, detect and treat NCDs into primary health care programmes.

More than 30 countries have developed policies or programmes to improve access to childhood cancer care.

We launched the Global Breast Cancer Initiative, aimed at reducing mortality from the world’s most-diagnosed cancer by 2.5% every year until 2040, saving 2.5 million lives.

More than 3 million people in 18 countries are now on protocol-based management of hypertension, with increasing use of the WHO HEARTS package of interventions.

And we have launched a new project to link quality of care for maternal and child health with NCDs.

On mental health, we have supported 31 more countries to integrate mental health services into primary health care, a 100% increase since 2014.

To improve mental health among adolescents, we worked with UNICEF to launch the “Helping Adolescents Thrive” toolkit.

To address opioid overdose deaths, we worked with UNODC to conduct a study of naloxone in four low- and middle-income countries, demonstrating significant public health benefits.

On access to medicines, WHO has given Emergency Use Listing to 7 vaccines and 28 in vitro diagnostics for COVID-19, which has allowed 101 countries to issue their own regulatory authorizations.

In total, WHO prequalified 62 medicines, 15 diagnostics, 13 vaccines and more last year – the most in a single year.

In January, we published the updated Model List of in Vitro Diagnostics, including new tests for noncommunicable and infectious diseases.

We published new pricing policy guidelines, to increase the affordability of medicines, and we supported Small Island Developing States to sign a pooled procurement agreement for health products, to improve the prices at which they can buy medicines, vaccines and other products.

Through the WHO Listed Authorities initiative, Ghana achieved Maturity Level 3 last year, meaning it has a stable and well-functioning regulatory system. In future, it will be able to become a reference agency for issuing marketing authorizations in Africa and beyond.

WHO is also supporting the Africa Union to establish the Africa Medicines Agency, to increase regulatory oversight and access to safe, efficacious and affordable medical products across the continent.

On antimicrobial resistance, just last month WHO published the latest overview of the pipeline for antibacterials, to monitor progress in research and development of these life-saving treatments.

The number of countries reporting data to the Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System has tripled to 70 in three years, and the number of surveillance sites globally has increased from 729 to 73 000.

And we established the One Health Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance, led by Prime Minister Hasina of Bangladesh and Prime Minister Mottley of Barbados.

And finally, we estimate that by 2023, about 920 million people could be better protected from health emergencies – again taking us very close to reaching our target of 1 billion.

Of course, that doesn’t mean 920 million people protected from all health emergencies.

The past year has exposed gaps in national and global preparedness that must be addressed.

Even while WHO has focused on responding to this pandemic, we continue to work with countries to prepare for a possible influenza pandemic.

Today also marks the 10 th anniversary of the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework, which pioneered a new approach to sharing biological materials; and to equity of access to vaccines and other critical pandemic response products.

More broadly, we continue to assess preparedness and response capacities of Member States, with 113 joint external evaluations, 156 simulation exercises and 126 intra action or after-action reviews.

More than 70 countries have developed national action plans for health security to address critical gaps – but many remain unfunded.

And of course, COVID-19 is far from the only emergency to which WHO has responded in the past year.

Every month, WHO processes over 9 million pieces of information, screens 43 000 signals, leading to 4500 events reviewed and an average of 30 events verified.

Our surveillance systems go far beyond disease outbreak events in human populations, to encompass information with potential risk implications at the human–animal interface, signals related to climate change, industrial hazards, and conflicts.

In 2020 alone we responded to over 120 emergencies including a total of 60 graded crises.

More than 1.8 billion people currently live in fragile, conflict and vulnerable settings, where protracted crises are compounded by weak national capacity to deliver basic health services.

As the Health Cluster lead in the United Nations humanitarian response, WHO leads efforts to deliver the public health response to COVID-19 through the Global Humanitarian Response Plan, providing coordination and operational support in 30 countries, in partnership with 900 national and international partners.

These populations are also the ones that are most at risk to outbreaks of cholera, meningitis, yellow fever and other high-threat infectious hazards.

Health and care workers are particularly vulnerable where there is instability.

More than 2400 incidents in 17 countries and territories have been recorded by the Surveillance System for Attacks on Health Care, since it started in December 2017.

Over six hundred health care workers and patients have died, and nearly 2000 have been injured.

There is no peace without heath and no health without peace.

All of these efforts are supported by our Science and Data divisions, which monitor progress and help to stay abreast of the rapidly-evolving evidence.

The Science division quality-assure more than 290 global public health goods this biennium, and together with the Health Emergencies programme, coordinated the review of almost 1300 COVID-19 publications.

We’re also working to ensure our products are tracked and designed for impact.

Among WHO’s most-downloaded products in the past year were new guidelines on increasing physical activity,

rapid advice on the use of chest imaging in COVID-19;

technical specifications for blood pressure measurement;

managing chronic pain in children;

pharmaceutical pricing policies;

traditional and complementary medicines;

and screening and treatment for prevention of cervical cancer.

In addition, new reports on tuberculosis, nursing, malaria, cancer, NCDs, neglected tropical diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and the annual World Health Statistics provide an authoritative snapshot on vital health issues.

I know it’s a long list, but we want to remind all Member States of the vast range of work we do to address the vast range of health challenges we face.

Many of these issues are on your agenda this week.

And on none of them does WHO work alone. Partnership is essential to everything we do, including in the multilateral system through the Global Action Plan for Healthy Lives and Well-Being for All.

Today we are launching the Global Action Plan progress report, entitled “Stronger collaboration for an equitable and resilient recovery.”

We are committed to accountability for the results we achieve, but also for how we work, which is why any report of sexual exploitation and abuse by our staff cannot be tolerated.

We recognize that we must do much more to protect the people we serve, and to ensure that zero tolerance is not just a slogan, but a mark of who we are.

Excellencies, colleagues and friends,

This pandemic has been driven by a highly transmissible virus.

But it has been turbo-charged by division, inequity, and the historical neglect of investments in preparedness.

So as we recover and rebuild, we must do more than stop viruses; we must address the vulnerabilities that allow outbreaks to become epidemics and epidemics to become pandemics.

We can come up with new institutions and new mechanisms, but that may only paper over the cracks.

Whatever changes we make must be to something more fundamental.

We can only lay a solid foundation for a safer world with a common commitment to solidarity, equity and sustainability.

A year ago, you tasked me with initiating an impartial, independent and comprehensive evaluation, including existing mechanisms, as appropriate, to review experience gained and lessons learned from the WHO-coordinated international health response to COVID-19.

At this Health Assembly, you will receive the reports of several panels and committees that evaluated different dimensions of the international response to the pandemic, including WHO’s role.

I would like to thank each panel, committee and working group for its efforts.

We welcome each of these reports, and we look forward to discussing them with Member States this week.

There is always more to do, there are more lessons to learn and more changes to make.

We are committed to listening to you, our Member States, with humility and a willingness to make the changes we need to make to be the organization you need us to be.

Many of you have recognized that a significant increase in more predictable and sustainable financing is needed to enable WHO to fulfil your expectations.

But beyond how this organization is funded, the world needs a fundamental rethink of what we mean by global health security.

We cannot build a safer world from the top down; we must build from the ground up.

Preparing for, preventing, detecting and responding rapidly to epidemics doesn’t start in Geneva, New York, or any of the world’s corridors of power.

It starts in the streets of deprivation and overcrowding;

In the homes where there is not enough food;

In the communities without access to health workers;

And in the villages and towns whose clinics and hospitals lack electricity or clean water.

It starts with strong primary health care and public health systems, skilled health workers, and communities empowered and enabled to take charge of their own health.

That must be the focus of our attention, and our investment.

We need better systems, built locally and linked globally in an unbreakable chain, for readiness, early warning, rapid response, risk communications and more.

Already we have taken several steps to build these systems.

We are now preparing to start a pilot programme of the Universal Health and Preparedness Review with 12 Member States during the second half of this year.

We have announced plans to establish the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence in Berlin;

We are preparing to open the doors of the WHO Academy;

We are already building on lessons from the WHO-hosted ACT Accelerator which will need to be a pillar of the new international system;

And just this morning I signed a Memorandum of Understanding with His Excellency Alain Berset on establishing the BioHub here in Switzerland, as a reliable, safe, and transparent mechanism for Member States to voluntarily share pathogens and clinical samples.

Second, we need better financing to strengthen national capacities, support rapid response, and fund the research and development, manufacturing and deployment of life-saving tools.

The world has several strong International Financial Institutions that must play a vital role in funding an enhanced national and global health security system.

And third, we need better governance that is inclusive and truly representative of every Member State, regardless of the size of its population or economy.

Keeping the world safe requires the ownership and engagement of all Member States.

The International Health Regulations remain the cornerstone of global governance for pandemic preparedness and response.

But their implementation is inconsistent, and has not led to the level of commitment and action needed.

We all know that one of the greatest drivers of this pandemic has been the lack of international solidarity and sharing: sharing data, sharing information, sharing pathogens, sharing resources, sharing technology.

We can only address that fundamental weakness with a binding commitment between nations to provide a solid foundation for enhanced cooperation – a treaty on pandemic preparedness and response that can address the challenges I have outlined.

An international agreement that represents all nations and people;

That addresses our shared risks and vulnerabilities;

That leverages our shared humanity, solidarity and diversity;

And that reflects what future generations need, not what this generation wants.

We have come to a fork in the road. If we go on the same old way, we will get the same old result: a world that is unprepared, unsafe and unfair.

Make no mistake: this will not be the last time the world faces the threat of a pandemic.

It is an evolutionary certainty that there will be another virus with the potential to be more transmissible and more deadly than this one.

This is not the time for incremental improvements or tinkering at the edges. This is the moment for bold ideas, bold commitment and bold leadership; for doing things that have never been done before.

We have a choice: between cooperation, competition or confrontation.

In fact, the only choice we have is between cooperation and insecurity.

A safer world is not a zero-sum game; it is the opposite.

If anyone is left behind, all are held back.

But if the furthest behind is the first to be helped; if the weakest is first to be strengthened; if the most vulnerable is first to be protected – then we all win.

73 years ago, you our Member States established WHO as the directing and coordinating authority on international health.

And with your continued leadership and guidance, that is the role we will continue to play together to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable.

Shukraan jazeelan. Xie xie. Merci beaucoup. Muchas gracias. Spasiba bolshoi.

Thank you very much.

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The Morning Newsletter

Vaccine Persuasion

Many vaccine skeptics have changed their minds.

By David Leonhardt

When the Kaiser Family Foundation conducted a poll at the start of the year and asked American adults whether they planned to get vaccinated, 23 percent said no.

But a significant portion of that group — about one quarter of it — has since decided to receive a shot. The Kaiser pollsters recently followed up and asked these converts what led them to change their minds . The answers are important, because they offer insight into how the millions of still unvaccinated Americans might be persuaded to get shots, too.

First, a little background: A few weeks ago, it seemed plausible that Covid-19 might be in permanent retreat, at least in communities with high vaccination rates. But the Delta variant has changed the situation. The number of cases is rising in all 50 states .

Although vaccinated people remain almost guaranteed to avoid serious symptoms, Delta has put the unvaccinated at greater risk of contracting the virus — and, by extension, of hospitalization and death. The Covid death rate in recent days has been significantly higher in states with low vaccination rates than in those with higher rates:

(For more detailed state-level charts, see this piece by my colleagues Lauren Leatherby and Amy Schoenfeld Walker. The same pattern is evident at the county level, as the health policy expert Charles Gaba has been explaining on Twitter.)

Nationwide, more than 99 percent of recent deaths have occurred among unvaccinated people, and more than 97 percent of recent hospitalizations have occurred among the unvaccinated, according to the C.D.C. “Look,” President Biden said on Friday, “the only pandemic we have is among the unvaccinated.”

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The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20500

Remarks by President Biden on Fighting the COVID- ⁠ 19 Pandemic

4:31 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon. I’d like to make an important announcement today in our work to get every American vaccinated and protected from the Delta virus — the Delta variant of COVID-19.

I just got a lengthy briefing from my COVID team, and here’s the lattest [sic] — the latest data that confirms we’re still in a pandemic of the unvaccinated.

While we’re starting to see initial signs that cases may be declining in a few places, cases are still rising, especially among the unvaccinated. There are still 85 million Americans who are eligible to get vaccinated who remain unvaccinated and at real risk.

Across the country, virtually all of the COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths continue to be among the unvaccinated. In Alabama, more than 90 percent of the current hospitalizations are among the unvaccinated. In Texas, 95 percent of those in hospitals are unvaccinated. Right now, it’s worse in states where overall vaccination rates are low.

But let me be clear: Even in states where the vaccination rate is high, the unvaccinated in those states are also at risk and — and we’re seeing cases rise as a result.

Quite frankly, it’s a tragedy. There are people who are dying and who will die who didn’t have to.

So, please, if you haven’t gotten vaccinated, do it now. Do it now. It could save your life, and it could save the lives of those you love.

You know, and the good news is that more people are getting vaccinated. Overall, weekly new vaccinations are up more than 80 percent from where they were a month ago.

While it can take up to six weeks to get fully protected after your first shot, this increased level of vaccination is going to provide results in the weeks ahead.

Just remember, we have two key — and two key ways of protecting ourselves against COVID-19. One: safe, free, and effective vaccines. And two: masks. Vaccines are the best defense, but masks are extremely helpful as well.

And for those who aren’t eligible for the vaccine yet — children under the age of 12 — masks are the best available protection for them and the adults around them. That’s why we need to make sure children are wearing masks in school.

Before I talk about the news related to vaccines, let me say a few words about masks and our children.

Unfortunately, as we’ve seen throughout this pandemic, some politicians are trying to turn public safety measures — that is, children wearing masks in school — into political disputes for their own political gain. Some are even trying to take power away from local educators by banning masks in school. They’re setting a dangerous tone.

For example, last week, at a schoolboard meeting in Tennessee, protestors threatened doctors and nurses who were testifying, making the case for masking children in schools.

The intimidation and the threats we’re seeing across the country are wrong. They’re unacceptable.

And I’ve said before, this isn’t about politics. It’s about keeping our children safe. This is about taking on the virus together, united.

I’ve made it clear that I will stand with those who are trying to do the right thing.

Last week, I called school superintendents in Florida and Arizona to thank them for doing the right thing and requiring masks in their schools. One of them said, “We teach science, so we follow the science.” The other said they have a guiding principle: “Students first.” I couldn’t agree with more than –I just couldn’t agree more with what they both said.

And that’s why, today, I am directing the Secretary of Education — an educator himself — to take additional steps to protect our children. This includes using all of his oversight authorities and legal actions, if appropriate, against governors

who are trying to block and intimidate local school officials and educators.

As I’ve said before, if you aren’t going to fight COVID-19, at least get out of the way of everyone else who is trying. You know, we’re not going to sit by as governors try to block and intimidate educators protecting our children.

For example, if a governor wants to cut the pay of a hardworking education leader who requires masks in the classroom, the money from the American Rescue Plan can be used to pay that person’s salary — 100 percent.

I’m going to say a lot more about children and schools next week. But as we head into the school year, remember this: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — the CDC — says masks are critical, especially for those who are not yet vaccinated, like our children under the age of 12.

So, let’s put politics aside.

Let’s follow the educators and the scientists who know a lot more about how to teach our children and keep them safe

than any politician.

This administration is always going to take the side of our children.

Next, I want to talk to those who — of you who can get vaccinated but you haven’t. The Delta variant is twice as transmissible as the Alpha variant. It’s dangerous, and it continues to spread. Vaccines are the key to stopping it, and we’re making progress.

Today, more than 90 percent of seniors have at least had one shot, and 70 percent of people over the age 12 have gotten their first shot as well. That’s good news, but we need to go faster.

That’s why I’m taking steps on vaccination requirements where I can. Already, I’ve outlined vaccine requirements. We’re going reach millions of Americans: federal workers and contractors; medical staff caring for our veterans at VA hospitals; and our active-duty military, reservists, and National Guard.

Today, I’m announcing a new step. If you work in a nursing home and serve people on Medicare or Medicaid, you will also be required to get vaccinated.

More than 130,000 residents in nursing homes have sa- — have sadly, over the period of this virus, passed away.

At the same time, vaccination rates among nursing home staff significantly trail the rest of the country. The studies show that highly vaccinated nursing home staffs is associated with at least 30 percent less COVID-19 cases among long-term care residents.

With this announcement, I’m using the power of the federal government, as a payer of healthcare costs, to ensure we reduce those risks to our most vulnerable seniors.

These steps are all about keeping people safe and out of harm’s way.

If you walk into a government office building, you should know that federal workers are doing everything possible to keep you safe.

If you’re a veteran seeking care at a VA hospital, you should not be at a greater risk walking into the hospital than you were outside the hospital.

And now, if you visit, live, or work in a nursing home, you should not be at a high risk for contracting COVID from unvaccinated employees.

While I’m mindful that my authority at the federal level is limited, I’m going to continue to look for ways to keep people safe and increase vaccination rates.

And I’m pleased to see the private sector stepping up as well.

In the last week, AT&T, Amtrak, McDonalds — they all announced vaccine requirements.

I recently met with a group of business and education leaders — from United Airlines, to Kaiser Permanente, to Howard University — who are also doing the same thing.

Over 200 health systems, more than 50 in the past two weeks, have announced vaccine requirements. Colleges and universities are requiring more than 5 million students to be vaccinated as they return to classes this fall.

All of this makes a difference.

The Wall Street Journal reported the share of job postings stating that new hires must be vaccinated has nearly doubled in the past month.

Governors and mayors in California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, and Washington have all announced vaccination requirements.

So let’s be clear: Vaccination requirements have been around for decades. Students, healthcare professionals, our troops are typically required to receive vaccines to prevent everything from polio to smallpox to measles to mumps to rubella.

In fact, the reason most people in America don’t worry about polio, smallpox, measles, mumps, and rubella today is because of vaccines. It only makes sense to require a vaccine that stops the spread of COVID-19.

And it’s time for others to step up. Employers have more power today to end this pandemic than they have ever had before. My message is simple: Do the right thing for your employees, consumers, and your businesses.

Let’s remember: The key tool to keeping our economy going strong is to get people vaccinated and at work.

I know that I’ll have your back — they should know I’ll have their back, as I have the back of the states trying to do the right thing as well.

For example, yesterday, I instructed the Federal Emergency Management Agency –- FEMA –- to extend full reimbursement through the end of the year to state developments — to state deployments of National Guard in support of COVID-19 response.

Nearly 18,000 National Guard members are supporting our response nationwide, from caring for patients, to administering vaccines, to running testing sites, to distributing supplies.

As the states continue to recover from the economic toll left by COVID-19, the full reimbursement of National Guard services during this pandemic will be another tool that will help them shore up their budgets, meet the needs of their communities, and continue our ec- — our economic recovery.

These are the latest steps we’re taking to get more people vaccinated.

Next, I want to speak to you all — all of you who are vaccinated. How should you be thinking about the moment we’re in?

First, know that you’re highly protected against severe illness and death from COVID-19. Only a small fraction of people going to the hospital today are those who have been vaccinated.

But we have a responsibility to give the maximum amount of protection — all of you the maximum amount.

Earlier today, our medical experts announced a plan for booster shots to every fully vaccinated American — adult American. You know, this shot will boost your immune response. It will increase your protection from COVID-19. And it’s the best way to protect ourselves from new variants that could arise.

The plan is for every az- — every adult to get a booster shot eight months after you got your second shot.

Pending approval from the Food and Drug Administration and the CDC’s Committee of outside experts, we’ll be ready to start these booster — this booster program during the week of September 20, in which time anyone fully vaccinated on or before January 20 will be eligible to get a booster shot.

So that means that if you got your second shot on February 15th, you’re eligible to get your booster shot on October 15th. If you got your second shot on March 15th, go for your booster starting on November 15th. And so on.

Just remember, as a simple rule — rule: Eight months after your second shot, get a booster shot.

And these booster shots are free. We’d be able to get the booster shots at any one of the approximately 80,000 vaccination locations nationwide.

It will be easy. Just show your vaccination card and you’ll get a booster. No other ID. No insurance. No state residency requirement.

My administration has been planning for this possibility and this scenario for months. We purchased enough vaccine and vaccine supplies so that when your eight-month mark comes up, you’ll be ready to get your vaccination free — that booster shot free. And we have it available.

It will make you safer and for longer. And it will help us end the pandemic faster.

Now, I know there are some world leaders who say Americans shouldn’t get a third shot until other countries got their first shots. I disagree. We can take care of America and help the world at the same time.

In June and July, America administered 50 million shots here in the United States and we donated 100 million shots to other countries. That means that America has donated more vaccine to other countries than every other country in the world combined.

During the coming months of fall and early winter, we expect to give out another — about 100 thousand [million] boosters, and the United States will donate more than 200 million additional doses to other countries.

This will keep us on our way to meeting our pledge of more than 600 million vaccine donations — over half a billion.

And I said — as I said before, we’re going to be the arsenal of vaccines to beat this pandemic as we were the arsenal of democracy to win World War Two.

So, let me conclude with this: The threat of the Delta virus remains real. But we are prepared. We have the tools. We can do this.

To all those of who are unvaccinated: Please get vaccinated for yourself and for your loved ones, your neighborhood and for your community.

And to the rest of America, this is no time to let our guard down. We just need to finish the job with science, with facts, and with confidence.

And together, as the United States of America, we’ll get this done.

God bless you all. And may God protect our troops. Thank you.

4:47 P.M. EDT

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Elsevier - PMC COVID-19 Collection

Why and How Vaccines Work

Akiko iwasaki.

1 Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA

2 Department of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA

3 Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA

Saad B. Omer

4 Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT 06520, USA

5 Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA

6 Yale Institute for Global Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA

Vaccines save millions of lives from infectious diseases caused by viruses and bacteria. As the world awaits safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines, we celebrate the progresses made and highlight challenges ahead in vaccines and the science behind them.

Introduction

Vaccines have substantially reduced the burden of infectious diseases. An estimated 103 million cases of childhood diseases were prevented between 1924 and 2010 in the United States through vaccination ( van Panhuis et al., 2013 ). In particular, the eradication of smallpox through vaccination in 1980 is one of the crown achievements of medicine. Until then, smallpox had afflicted humanity for at least 3,000 years, killing 300 million people in the twentieth century alone. Vaccines prevent diseases caused by a large number of viruses and bacteria, and those against parasites are under development. Vaccines are also one of the most effective investments in humanity. Every dollar spent on vaccines yields an estimated $44 in economic returns, by ensuring children grow up healthy and are able to reach their full potential ( Ozawa et al., 2016 ).

In 2020, we are in a midst of a once-in-a-century pandemic. We discuss the birth and evolution of vaccine science, how vaccinations have changed our world, the current state of vaccines, the remaining challenges, and their future outlook.

Evolution of Vaccine Science

Edward Jenner is duly credited with providing the first scientific description of vaccination when he published his monograph An Inquiry into the Causes and Effects of the Variolae Vaccinae in 1798. Although, notably, variolation (i.e., inoculating people with material from smallpox cases) was practiced in China, India, and Turkey for centuries before it was introduced to the West by Lady Mary Montague—the wife of the British ambassador to the Ottoman court. Vaccination itself, which involved injecting material from cowpox vesicles to healthy individuals was first demonstrated by Benjamin Jesty, a Yetminster, England farmer, approximately a quarter century before Jenner’s vaccine demonstration.

While Jenner’s technique for vaccination was relatively widely used throughout the nineteenth century, vaccination was conducted from person-to-person or animal-to-animal, i.e., material from a vaccinated individual was used to vaccinate another individual.

The modern science of vaccination was developed by Louis Pasteur. Pasteur developed vaccines in the laboratory using the same agent that caused the disease, starting with chicken cholera vaccine. In 1879/1880, Pasteur used a culture of chicken bouillon to develop a chicken cholera vaccine that could be produced in a lab. Five years later, he followed this with a human rabies vaccine.

The next major innovation came from American scientists Daniel Elmer Salmon and Theobald Smith when they pioneered development of vaccines based on killed pathogens. Others took advantage of techniques developed by Pasteur, Salmon, Smith, and their contemporaries and developed vaccines against typhoid, cholera, and plague before the end of the nineteenth century. Throughout the twentieth century, more and more infectious diseases—ranging from influenza to rotavirus—became vaccine-preventable. These vaccines were either live attenuated, whole killed pathogens, or alternatively, so-called subunit vaccines that contained antigens (e.g., protein, polysaccharides, or conjugated) but not the rest of the pathogen. A major development happened in 1986 when the first genetically engineered vaccine—the Hepatitis B surface antigen recombinant vaccine—became available. However, until the last couple of decades, vaccines were developed using empirical approaches. More recently, in parallel with increasing availability of sequencing and bioinformatics tools, there has been an increased focus on so-called “rational” vaccine design approaches.

History of Adjuvants

Vaccines were used successfully long before it was understood how they worked. When live-attenuated vaccines were used, they alone were sufficient to induce robust long-lasting immunity. However, in an effort to develop recombinant protein vaccines against diphtheria and tetanus, injection of these proteins in isolation only elicited weak and short-lived antibody responses. Upon trial and error, Gaston Ramon, a French veterinarian and later director of the Pasteur Institute, noticed that horses that received the vaccines developed better immune response if there was inflammation at the site of injection. Later, Ramon discovered that certain substances (tapioca, lecithin, agar, starch oil, saponin, or breadcrumbs!) can be added to the vaccine to improve the immune response ( Christensen, 2016 ). These observations were followed by the discovery that diphtheria toxoid precipitated with aluminum salts resulted in significant increase of the immune response ( Glenny et al., 1926 ). Since then, Alum (aluminum salts) became the mainstay of adjuvants until about 20 years ago, when the molecular mechanism of adjuvanticity spurred the development of new adjuvants.

Science of Adjuvants

We now know that live-attenuated (and to some degree, inactivated) vaccines have worked well because they provide the two requisite signals to induce immunity: the antigen and the natural “adjuvant.” The antigens direct the specificity of the adaptive immune response toward a particular pathogen, while the adjuvants stimulate the innate immune system through pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), which recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) ( Medzhitov and Janeway, 1997 ). In order for an antigen to be immunogenic, that antigen must be accompanied by PAMPs that can trigger PRRs in antigen-presenting cells. The reason adjuvants need to be included in vaccine formulations was made clear by the discovery that innate immune recognition via PRRs generates signals required for activation of adaptive immunity ( Medzhitov and Janeway, 1997 ). PRRs include Toll-like receptors (TLRs) that detect structural PAMPs, cytoplasmic viral nucleic acids sensors such as RIG-I and cGAS, and others that detect pathogen activities. We now also understand that dendritic cells are the key cell type responsible for triggering adaptive immune responses based on pioneering work of Ralph Steinman. Engagement of the various PRRs expressed on distinct dendritic cell subsets trigger their activation and migration to draining lymph nodes, where lymphocytes of the adaptive immune system are instructed to take on specialized effector functions suited to combat a given class of pathogens.

Now that we understand the mechanism by which adjuvants stimulate robust immunity, it is possible to design them to achieve desired outcomes. Currently, there are several licensed adjuvants that are in use for human vaccines ( Figure 1 ). In addition to alum, TLR agonists, monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL—a TLR4 agonist) and CpG 1018 (TLR9 agonist) are approved and used as vaccine adjuvants. In addition, a number of other adjuvants are in current use including virosomes, MF59, ISA51, and a line of adjuvant systems (AS) developed by GlaxoSmithKline—AS01 (liposome with MPL + QS-21), AS04 (3-deacyl-MPL), AS03 (vitamin E/Surfactant polysorbate 80/Squalene). For SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, there are other adjuvant systems in various phases of clinical trials, including Matrix M and Advax ( Gupta and Gupta, 2020 ) ( Figure 1 ). The numerous clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines provide a rare opportunity for these new adjuvants to be evaluated for safety and efficacy for human use.

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Timeline of Adjuvant Used in Human Vaccines

Adjuvants are non-antigen components of vaccines that stimulate the innate immune system. Adjuvants are indicated by thick arrows from the time of introduction. Vaccines that use the adjuvants are indicated as dots on the arrow at the earliest time of use. Image was made by BioRender.

Types of Vaccines

Advances in virology, molecular biology, and immunology have created many alternatives to the traditional vaccines ( Figure 2 A). Modern vaccines include nucleic acid based (mRNA, DNA), viral vectored vaccines, virus-like particles, and recombinant protein (subunit) vaccines. For extracellular bacterial pathogens, conjugate vaccines that elicit antibodies to the carbohydrate moieties unique to the bacterial walls emerged as an alternative to the whole killed bacteria. COVID-19 has brought all vaccine types to the forefront to combat the pandemic ( Figure 2 B). Because of the speed of cloning and synthesis, mRNA and DNA vaccines were the first to enter the race in the United States.

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Vaccines, PAMPs, and Adjuvants

(A) Vaccines that are approved for use in humans and their PAMPs. For vaccines that are devoid of PAMPs, adjuvants are required to induce robust immunity. Booster vaccines are required for many vaccines to achieve protective levels of antibodies.

(B) Vaccines that are in clinical trials for COVID-19. Image was made using BioRender.

# While virus like particles lack viral genomes, during the assembly process, some nucleic acids (RNA) may become packaged, serving as PAMPs.

± This vaccine is a two-dose vaccine: rAd26-S injection followed by rAd5-S injection.

Depending on the type of vaccines, they either contain PAMPs as endogenous (e.g., genome of the vaccine virus) or intrinsic (inactivated viral genome) components of the vaccine. Others do not contain PAMPs and require adjuvants. Except for some live-attenuated vaccines that produce antigens for an extended time period, most vaccines require booster shots to enhance levels and affinity of antibody responses ( Figure 2 ).

Progress and Challenges

Vaccines have yet to conquer the world’s most lethal and debilitating infections: malaria, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), and HIV-1. These pathogens are difficult to tackle, as we still do not understand how to elicit the protective immunity or how to counter pathogens’ evasion mechanisms. Natural infection with these agents does not lead to protection from reinfection, and there are no immune correlates of protection to emulate with vaccines. However, promising progress is being made against these pathogens.

Malaria is caused by plasmodia parasites that have complex life cycles with a myriad of antigens. RTS,S/AS01 is the most advanced vaccine candidate that has completed a Phase 3 trial ( Agnandji et al., 2011 ). The vaccine prevented 39% cases of malaria over 4 years of follow-up and 29% cases of severe malaria, making this the first vaccine to have significantly reduced infection and disease. The vaccine consists of the repeat (antibody target) and T cell epitope in the circumsporozoite protein of the Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasite and a viral envelope protein of the hepatitis B virus, given with the adjuvant AS01. Based on these encouraging results, pilot vaccinations began in the three countries in 2019: Malawi, Ghana, and Kenya. The pilot vaccination is expected to continue through 2023, which will inform future widespread use of this vaccine ( https://www.who.int/malaria/media/malaria-vaccine-implementation-qa/en/ ).

Another breakthrough was reported for a therapeutic TB vaccine candidate, M72/AS01E. A significant protection against disease was reported in a Phase IIb trial conducted in Kenya, South Africa, and Zambia in individuals with latent tuberculosis infection. M72 is a subunit fusion protein vaccine derived from two MTB antigens (32A and 39A) with AS01E adjuvant. The vaccine provided 54% protection in latently infected adults against active pulmonary tuberculosis disease, over 2 years of follow-up ( Van Der Meeren et al., 2018 ).

Despite much effort and resources dedicated to developing HIV-1 vaccines, many candidates have failed to show efficacy in clinical trials. In addition to HIV-1, there are many neglected tropical diseases that require vaccines.

Where Vaccine Science Is Headed

Systems vaccinology ( Pulendran et al., 2010 ) incorporates systems biology approaches using multidisciplinary high-dimensional datasets to better inform vaccines—from the discovery phase of design of the vaccine all the way to predicting responses in clinical trials and improving on implementation strategies. Systems vaccinology has been applied to multiple vaccines, including influenza viruses and yellow fever, and revealed an unexpected correlation between gene signatures and vaccine efficacy ( Pulendran et al., 2010 ). Further, the systems serology approach has been applied to HIV-1 vaccines ( Chung et al., 2015 ) that reveal potential antibody correlates of protection.

Another emerging area of vaccinology is T cell vaccines. While antibodies are the focus of almost all vaccines, and currently levels of antibodies raised against the vaccine antigens are used as correlates of protection, not all viruses are amenable to antibody-dependent immunity. Some viruses have circumvented the ability of antibodies to control them, including HIV-1 (through rapid in-host mutation and escape from antibody recognition), influenza virus (through antigenic drift to avoid previous season’s antibody recognition), and herpes simplex virus (through the expression of evasin molecules on virion surface that render antibodies useless). For these types of antibody-evasive viruses, we need a different approach to vaccination. Fortunately, there are conserved epitopes that can be used to generate T cell immunity through vaccines. A key aspect of T cell immunity is that it works best if the T cells are already present at the site of entry, i.e., the mucosal surface. However, vaccines injected into muscle often fail to induce mucosa-resident memory T cells. A two-step vaccine strategy, prime and pull, can overcome this distribution problem by recruiting and establishing tissue-resident memory T cells in a tissue of choice (primary route of viral entry) using chemokines or chemokine-inducing agents ( Iwasaki, 2016 ). T cell-based vaccines hold promise for antibody-evasive pathogens and cancer vaccines in which no surface antigens can be targeted.

Another frontier in vaccine science is to develop mucosal vaccines. Immune effector mechanisms present at the site of vaccine entry offers superior protection. Most pathogens, except for vector-borne, enter the human body through mucosal surfaces. Unlike the skin, mucosal epithelial layers are vulnerable to pathogen entry due to the lack of cornification. There are two types of mucosal surfaces: type 1 surface is simple columnar epithelia (example: gut, lung, endocervix), whereas type 2 surface consists of stratified squamous epithelia (example: eyes, nose, vagina, ectocervix). These two types of epithelial layers use distinct adaptive immune mechanisms of protection, and thus a vaccine must elicit type-appropriate effector responses ( Iwasaki, 2016 ). Of note, type 1 surface epithelium expresses polymeric immunoglobulin (Ig) receptor (pIgR) capable of transporting dimeric IgA to the lumen, whereby it can neutralize incoming pathogens or toxins. Type 2 surface lacks pIgR and relies on IgG for protection. In the respiratory tract, IgA provides protection in the nasal cavity, whereas IgG provides protection in the lung. Both types of mucosal can host tissue-resident memory T cells. Mucosal immunity provides opportunities to block infection altogether or sterile immunity. Vaccines delivered via mucosal surfaces (intranasal, oral) are more potent in establishing local immune memory and effector responses than those delivered parenterally, due to the ability of the dendritic cells to imprint T cell migration to the mucosal tissues ( Lencer and von Andrian, 2011 ). However, based on the mechanism by which mucosal dendritic cells promote mucosa-homing T cells, even a parenteral vaccine can be designed to elicit mucosal immunity ( Lencer and von Andrian, 2011 ). Yet, a vast majority of approved vaccines are injected into muscle without any designs to promote mucosal immunity ( Figure 2 ). Safe and effective vaccines that establish robust mucosal immunity at the site of pathogen entry will transform vaccine landscape.

How to Increase Vaccine Acceptance

Finally, a big barrier to establishing and maintaining herd immunity with vaccines is the lack of vaccine uptake in some subgroups due to misinformation and mistrust. Vaccines have a been a victim of their own success. With the decline in the burden of many vaccine preventable diseases, successive cohorts of parents are less familiar with once common diseases such as measles. At the same time, individuals hear about real or perceived vaccine adverse events—often through information propagated on social media platforms. A decline in awareness of severity of vaccine-preventable diseases accompanied by concerns about vaccine safety has been associated with an increase in vaccine hesitancy. Lower trust in government and healthcare providers has also been associated vaccine skepticism. New evidence suggests an association between vaccine hesitancy and values of liberty and purity ( Amin et al., 2017 ). Concerningly, survey data suggest that a substantial proportion of US adults are unlikely to accept the upcoming COVID-19 vaccine.

Fortunately, there has been some progress in developing and deploying interventions to improve vaccine acceptance. First, presumptive communication has been reported to be an approach that relies on verbal defaults by presuming vaccination and announcing that the child (or the adult) will be vaccinated (e.g., “It’s time for you to receive your flu shot.”) versus communicating vaccination as a non-routine, optional procedure (e.g., “Would you like to receive your flu shot?”) ( Opel et al., 2015 ). Motivational interviewing—which elicits behavior change by helping individuals to explore and resolve ambivalence—has shown promise as another technique healthcare providers can use to communicate about vaccines ( Gagneur et al., 2018 ). Moreover, structural interventions that make vaccination accessible and convenient have been shown to increase immunization uptake.

Vaccines continue to be one of the most effective tools to prevent morbidity and mortality from endemic and emergent threats. Recent advances may herald another golden age of vaccines. However, misinformation and the consequent mistrust of vaccinations pose a threat to their success and positive impact on global human health. More than ever, it is important for scientists to communicate scientific truth and to educate the public about the safety and benefits of vaccination using traditional and social media. Therefore, in the future, vaccine science must not only draw from disciplines such as virology, immunology, bioinformatics, and systems biology but also from social sciences.

Acknowledgments

We thank Ruslan Medzhitov for reading and commenting on the manuscript. We are grateful to the members of our laboratories, past and present, in all of their contributions that have led us to insights shared in this piece. A.I. is an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

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Lessons learned: What makes vaccine messages persuasive

You’re reading Lessons Learned, which distills practical takeaways from standout campaigns and peer-reviewed research in health and science communication. Want more Lessons Learned? Subscribe to our Call to Action newsletter .

Vaccine hesitancy threatened public health’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Scientists at the University of Maryland recently reviewed 47 randomized controlled trials to determine how COVID-19 communications persuaded—or failed to persuade—people to take the vaccine. ( Health Communication , 2023 DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2023.2218145 ).

What they learned: Simply communicating about the vaccine’s safety or efficacy persuaded people to get vaccinated. Urging people to follow the lead of others, by highlighting how many millions were already vaccinated or even trying to induce embarrassment, was also persuasive.

Why it matters: Understanding which message strategies are likely to be persuasive is crucial.

➡️ Idea worth stealing: The authors found that a message’s source didn’t significantly influence its persuasiveness. But messages were more persuasive when source and receivers shared an identity, such as political affiliation.

What to watch: How other formats, such as interactive chatbots and videos, might influence persuasiveness. And whether message tailoring could persuade specific population subgroups.

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In fact, Ebola vaccination in Guinea started today, and vaccination in DRC began last week. The West African Ebola outbreak gave rise to vaccines, but it also gave rise to WHO's Research and Development Blueprint for epidemics, a strategy to facilitate the rapid development of vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics in response to outbreaks.
Director-General's opening remarks at the World Health Assembly
Director-General's opening remarks at the World Health Assembly - 24 May 2021. Your Excellency Madam President, Ambassador Keva Bain, Your Excellency Alain Berset, Federal Counsellor of Switzerland, Excellencies, distinguished colleagues and friends, Lucy Nyambura is a health promotion officer in Mombasa City, Kenya.
Vaccine Persuasion
Hearing pro-vaccine messages from doctors, friends and relatives. For many people who got vaccinated, messages from politicians, national experts and the mass media were persuasive.
Remarks by President Biden on Fighting the COVID-19 Pandemic
THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon. I'd like to make an important announcement today in our work to get every American vaccinated and protected from the Delta virus — the Delta variant of COVID-19.
"First Do No Harm": Effective Communication About COVID-19 Vaccines
With effective COVID-19 vaccines in hand, we must now address the spread of information on social media that might encourage vaccine hesitancy. Although misinformation comes in many forms, 1 including false claims, disinformation (e.g., deliberately false information), and rumors (e.g., unverified information), social media companies now seek to interdict this objectionable content—for the ...
Vaccines Informative Speech
Here are some list of the vaccines and what they protect your child for .Hepatitis B -It prevents the child to have liver failure and for their 18 months of life they need 3 doses of this vaccine .Rotavirus - Protection of stomach infection that can cause a life threatening diarrhea.Ages are 2-6 months and a dose of 3 .Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) -2 months they would get this shot ...
Why and How Vaccines Work
Vaccines save millions of lives from infectious diseases caused by viruses and bacteria. As the world awaits safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines, we celebrate the progresses made and highlight challenges ahead in vaccines and the science behind them.Vaccines ...
When Talking to Parents About COVID-19 Vaccines for Children, Emphasize
When communicating with parents about getting their children vaccinated against COVID-19, emphasize the safety and efficacy of the vaccines, encourage them to talk with their family doctor, and leverage parents' social networks.
Informative Speech On Vaccines
Like any other medicine, vaccines have both pros and cons. Although it may cause pain and discomfort, it is still lesser than the pain brought by the diseases these vaccines prevent. There may be adverse effects to vaccination, for instance severe allergic reaction, but these are extremely rare. The benefits are without a doubt higher than side.
Lessons learned: What makes vaccine messages persuasive
Lessons learned: What makes vaccine messages persuasive You're reading Lessons Learned, which distills practical takeaways from standout campaigns and peer-reviewed research in health and science communication. Want more Lessons Learned? Subscribe to our Call to Action newsletter.
Vaccines- Informative Speech by Anne Ehresmann on Prezi
History of Vaccines Prerequisite Vaccines - Influenza Vaccines - Keep yourself healthy and in class Keeping other students and classmates healthy Importance Today Vaccines Variolation Immunization through purposeful infection. Mary Wortley Montagu Then, How, and Now Vaccines Then How Now See full transcript
Informative Speech For Vaccine Speech
Main Point 1: Vaccines protect you and others you care for against unnecessary exposure to diseases. A. Serious diseases are still out there, they do not stop at the border, they spread easily and. Get Access. Free Essay: Presentation Rationale Purpose: The purpose of this speech is to inform my audience on the importance of vaccinating their ...