Pandemic paradox: How the COVID-19 crisis transformed vaccine hesitancy into a two-edged sword
The rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines was a landmark achievement that saved millions of lives. However, this success also intensified vaccine hesitancy, as misinformation, evolving public health guidelines, and growing distrust in institutions fueled anti-vaccine sentiment. In this opinion piec...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/21645515.2025.2543167 |
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| author | Esteban Ortiz-Prado Isaac A. Suárez-Sangucho Jorge Vasconez-Gonzalez Pablo A. Santillan-Roldán Melisa Villavicencio-Gomezjurado Camila Salazar-Santoliva Andrea Tello-De-la-Torre Juan S. Izquierdo-Condoy |
| author_facet | Esteban Ortiz-Prado Isaac A. Suárez-Sangucho Jorge Vasconez-Gonzalez Pablo A. Santillan-Roldán Melisa Villavicencio-Gomezjurado Camila Salazar-Santoliva Andrea Tello-De-la-Torre Juan S. Izquierdo-Condoy |
| author_sort | Esteban Ortiz-Prado |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines was a landmark achievement that saved millions of lives. However, this success also intensified vaccine hesitancy, as misinformation, evolving public health guidelines, and growing distrust in institutions fueled anti-vaccine sentiment. In this opinion piece, we explore the paradoxical legacy of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign – how a global scientific triumph simultaneously gave rise to an emboldened anti-vaccine movement. Drawing on international data, we highlight the association between baseline vaccine acceptance and subsequent booster uptake and interpret these trends through the lens of the Health Belief Model. We further examine the psychological, cultural, political, and structural drivers of hesitancy and outline key strategies to rebuild public trust. Addressing this crisis requires proactive, evidence-informed, and culturally sensitive approaches to safeguard the future of global immunization efforts. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6c824f2b856f428b8ffcf57e0613a8e4 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2164-5515 2164-554X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics |
| spelling | doaj-art-6c824f2b856f428b8ffcf57e0613a8e42025-08-20T03:03:57ZengTaylor & Francis GroupHuman Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics2164-55152164-554X2025-12-0121110.1080/21645515.2025.2543167Pandemic paradox: How the COVID-19 crisis transformed vaccine hesitancy into a two-edged swordEsteban Ortiz-Prado0Isaac A. Suárez-Sangucho1Jorge Vasconez-Gonzalez2Pablo A. Santillan-Roldán3Melisa Villavicencio-Gomezjurado4Camila Salazar-Santoliva5Andrea Tello-De-la-Torre6Juan S. Izquierdo-Condoy7One Health Research Group, Faculty of Health Science, Universidad de Las Americas, Quito, EcuadorOne Health Research Group, Faculty of Health Science, Universidad de Las Americas, Quito, EcuadorOne Health Research Group, Faculty of Health Science, Universidad de Las Americas, Quito, EcuadorOne Health Research Group, Faculty of Health Science, Universidad de Las Americas, Quito, EcuadorOne Health Research Group, Faculty of Health Science, Universidad de Las Americas, Quito, EcuadorOne Health Research Group, Faculty of Health Science, Universidad de Las Americas, Quito, EcuadorOne Health Research Group, Faculty of Health Science, Universidad de Las Americas, Quito, EcuadorOne Health Research Group, Faculty of Health Science, Universidad de Las Americas, Quito, EcuadorThe rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines was a landmark achievement that saved millions of lives. However, this success also intensified vaccine hesitancy, as misinformation, evolving public health guidelines, and growing distrust in institutions fueled anti-vaccine sentiment. In this opinion piece, we explore the paradoxical legacy of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign – how a global scientific triumph simultaneously gave rise to an emboldened anti-vaccine movement. Drawing on international data, we highlight the association between baseline vaccine acceptance and subsequent booster uptake and interpret these trends through the lens of the Health Belief Model. We further examine the psychological, cultural, political, and structural drivers of hesitancy and outline key strategies to rebuild public trust. Addressing this crisis requires proactive, evidence-informed, and culturally sensitive approaches to safeguard the future of global immunization efforts.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/21645515.2025.2543167COVID-19vaccinesanti-vaccine movementpublic healthSARS-CoV-2 |
| spellingShingle | Esteban Ortiz-Prado Isaac A. Suárez-Sangucho Jorge Vasconez-Gonzalez Pablo A. Santillan-Roldán Melisa Villavicencio-Gomezjurado Camila Salazar-Santoliva Andrea Tello-De-la-Torre Juan S. Izquierdo-Condoy Pandemic paradox: How the COVID-19 crisis transformed vaccine hesitancy into a two-edged sword Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics COVID-19 vaccines anti-vaccine movement public health SARS-CoV-2 |
| title | Pandemic paradox: How the COVID-19 crisis transformed vaccine hesitancy into a two-edged sword |
| title_full | Pandemic paradox: How the COVID-19 crisis transformed vaccine hesitancy into a two-edged sword |
| title_fullStr | Pandemic paradox: How the COVID-19 crisis transformed vaccine hesitancy into a two-edged sword |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pandemic paradox: How the COVID-19 crisis transformed vaccine hesitancy into a two-edged sword |
| title_short | Pandemic paradox: How the COVID-19 crisis transformed vaccine hesitancy into a two-edged sword |
| title_sort | pandemic paradox how the covid 19 crisis transformed vaccine hesitancy into a two edged sword |
| topic | COVID-19 vaccines anti-vaccine movement public health SARS-CoV-2 |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/21645515.2025.2543167 |
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