By Deborah Abrams Kaplan
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the healthcare industry has seen incredible innovation, collaboration and progress in developing and delivering vaccines around the world. The industry has delivered multiple vaccine options in record-breaking time1 and has broken down silos to partner in delivering these vaccines to many communities.2
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Even with such progress, there is still work to do. As we’ve collectively sought to combat COVID-19, several healthcare system challenges and inequities have been brought to light.3 Many of these challenges, from access gaps in rural and underserved communities to social inequities and misconceptions, have been long-standing issues in healthcare.3
In mid-2021, after the first COVID-19 vaccines were available in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found vaccine hesitancy rates ranging from 2.69% to 26.7% depending on the region,4 and as of January 2023, with vaccines plentifully available, only 69.2% of Americans had received their primary series, and 15.5% had received their recommended booster dose.5
With public health on the line, one biotech company, Novavax, is playing an important role in identifying root causes of these tendencies by working with trusted leaders within diverse communities to educate about vaccines and their vital importance in preventing future public health emergencies. Novavax believes that part of its responsibility as a global leader in discovering and developing lifesaving vaccines is to bring together cross-industry stakeholders to find ways to eliminate barriers to vaccine access, help individuals make informed choices based on the latest science and improve equitable distribution.
“We have an important responsibility to convene and partner with cross-industry experts to identify and address long-standing barriers to vaccine access and uptake, particularly for at-risk and marginalized communities,” said Silvia Taylor, executive vice-president and chief communications officer at Novavax.
A Matter Of Community Importance
Novavax is connecting with communities in unique ways to drive improved acceptance of vaccination and dispel myths about infectious diseases and vaccines.
“We recognize that the biotechnology industry’s role is no longer solely developing and delivering new medicines. We also know that infectious diseases are a whole-of-society issue,” said Taylor. “In today’s complex healthcare environment, we must help increase access to care and treatment—a goal that can only be achieved when we understand a population’s needs and local community context. It’s essential that we engage and partner with local governments, medical professionals, and community and industry leaders to customize solutions.”
While those in the public health sector endorse the broad benefits of vaccination in preventing serious infectious disease, the introduction of COVID-19 vaccines to address this unprecedented pandemic resulted in a tremendous amount of noise about myths and misconceptions, creating vaccine hesitancy among many populations and decreasing uptake rate.6 Misinformation can include any inaccurate claims or depictions, and studies have shown that even after misinformation is corrected, the false beliefs can remain.6 Experts agree that in future pandemics, public health efforts must better educate, discuss and foster acceptance of vaccines in all communities—across geographic locations, socioeconomic statuses and racial populations—to identify effective approaches to counter false information.7
In a survey conducted by researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital, King’s College London, Lund University and Uppsala University, utilizing the COVID Symptom Study (CSS) smartphone application developed by Zoe Ltd., when participants were asked about reasons for vaccine reluctance, the most frequently reported concerns among all participants related to long-term side effects (50%-57%) and adverse reactions (45%-54%).8 Black and Hispanic participants noted a lack of vaccine knowledge (45%-51%) in higher numbers compared to white participants (37%-42%).8
How Partnerships Can Help
Over the course of the past several years, the healthcare industry has collaborated in new and innovative ways to deliver vaccines in record-breaking time.
“We believe that those meaningful collaborations are just the beginning of what can be achieved when individuals and organizations come together for a common cause. Everyone has a role to play,” Taylor said.
It’s with this mentality that Novavax continues to bring together community groups, governmental organizations, advocacy groups and other public and private sector stakeholders to discuss ways to address existing barriers to vaccine access and ideate potential solutions to support better health for all communities.
“Almost three years following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have experienced how quickly disease can impact our lives—and society as a whole. We’ve also seen the power of breaking down silos, delivering good science and working across industry for a healthier tomorrow,” Taylor said.
Collaborative solutions created alongside the community will continue to be paramount in identifying and addressing barriers to vaccine access in the collective global fight against life-threatening infectious disease.
Vaccinations help stop the spread of disease and have helped save millions of lives.9 Find out more at novavax.com or wedovaccines.com.
1Forman R, Shah S, Jeurissen P, et al. COVID-19 Vaccine Challenges: What have we learned so far and what remains to be done? Health Policy. 2021;125(5). doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2021.03.013.
2World Health Organization. Vaccine equity. Available at: https://www.who.int/campaigns/vaccine-equity. Accessed February 14, 2023.
3Nana-Sinkam P, Kraschnewski J, Sacco R, et al. Health disparities and equity in the era of COVID-19. J Clin Transl Sci. 2021;5(1):e99. doi:10.1017/cts.2021.23.
4Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Estimates of vaccine hesitancy for COVID-19. Available at: https://data.cdc.gov/stories/s/Vaccine-Hesitancy-for-COVID-19/cnd2-a6zw/. Accessed February 2, 2023.
5Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. COVID-19 Data Tracker. Available at: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations_vacc-people-booster-percent-total. Accessed February 2, 2023.
6Lee SK, Sun J, Jang S, et al. Misinformation of COVID-19 vaccines and vaccine hesitancy. Sci Rep. 2022; 12. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-17430-6.
7Parachini JV, Bouey J, Gerstein DM, et al. Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Outbreak: Preventing and Managing Future Pandemics. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2022. https://www.rand.org/pubs/perspectives/PEA1481-2.html.
8Nguyen LH, Joshi AD, Drew DA, et al. Self-reported COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and uptake among participants from different racial and ethnic groups in the United States and United Kingdom. Nat Commun 2022; 13. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-28200-3.
9World Health Organization. Vaccines and Immunization. Available at: https://www.who.int/health-topics/vaccines-and-immunization#tab=tab_1. Accessed February 2, 2023.
