vaccine hesitancy

noun

plural vaccine hesitancies

: the reluctance or refusal to have oneself or one's children vaccinated

Vaccine hesitancy can contribute to the continued spread of disease because vaccinations are not being administered.

—Fred Steiner

Scientists are expressing concern over what they call "vaccine hesitancy" regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

—Katie Camero

WHO [World Health Organization] notes that measles cases have increased by 30 percent across the globe, and while not all cases are due to vaccine hesitancies, some countries that had nearly eliminated the disease have seen its return.

—Katie Gillespie

Examples of vaccine hesitancy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

If public health officials emphasize the communication of safety risks, however small these are, over the overwhelmingly positive efficacy of vaccines, this could amplify already rising vaccine hesitancy. —Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024

Many are worried Kennedy, who would need to be confirmed by the Senate to become HHS secretary, will amplify vaccine hesitancy for children despite his promise not to take away vaccines. —Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 29 Nov. 2024

The findings come amid rising vaccine hesitancy in the U.S., and a week after President-elect Donald Trump named Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent anti-vaccine activist, as his pick for health and human services secretary. —Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 21 Nov. 2024

Meanwhile, vaccine hesitancy and misinformation proliferated. —Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 20 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

2002, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

vaccine hesitancy

noun

: the reluctance or refusal to have oneself or one's children vaccinated

Scientists are expressing concern over what they call "vaccine hesitancy" regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

—Katie Camero, The Miami Herald

Reasons for vaccine hesitancy fit into 3 categories: lack of confidence (in effectiveness, safety, the system, or policy makers), complacency (perceived low risk of acquiring VPDs [vaccine preventable diseases]), and lack of convenience …

—Shixin Shen and Vinita Dubey, Canadian Family Physician

WHO [World Health Organization] notes that measles cases have increased by 30 percent across the globe, and while not all cases are due to vaccine hesitancies, some countries that had nearly eliminated the disease have seen its return.

—Katie Gillespie, The Columbian (Vancouver, Washington)