Vaccine Hesitancy vs. Resistance: Understanding the Difference
- Recent recommendations from the advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) signal a shift in approach to COVID-19 vaccination, emphasizing shared clinical decision-making between clinicians and patients.
- Sandra grogg, highlighting that the vaccines themselves remain safe and effective.
- Grogg stressed the importance of distinguishing between vaccine hesitancy and outright resistance, stating that true opposition is "rare." Clinicians should prioritize open conversations with patients to understand and...
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Recent recommendations from the advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) signal a shift in approach to COVID-19 vaccination, emphasizing shared clinical decision-making between clinicians and patients. This change reflects growing vaccine hesitancy and a more nuanced understanding of individual risk factors.
Vaccine Hesitancy and the Importance of Dialog
“It’s not a bad product,” said Dr. Sandra grogg, highlighting that the vaccines themselves remain safe and effective. Though, she noted a rise in hesitancy stemming from misinformation, fear of adverse effects, and a general lack of trust in institutions.
Dr. Grogg stressed the importance of distinguishing between vaccine hesitancy and outright resistance, stating that true opposition is “rare.” Clinicians should prioritize open conversations with patients to understand and address their specific concerns.
ACIP’s Revised Recommendations
ACIP has moved toward recommending vaccination be based on shared decision-making, even for older adults. This follows earlier guidance from the CDC that adopted a similar model for children and adolescents aged 6 months through 17 years who are not moderately or severely immunocompromised. This CDC guidance differed from recommendations made by organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Risk Factors for Severe COVID-19
Given the shift toward shared clinical decision-making, Dr.Grogg reviewed factors that increase a patient’s risk for moderate or severe COVID-19 disease:
- Aged older than 65 years
- living in a long-term care facility
- Respiratory conditions
- Cardiovascular conditions
- Metabolic conditions
- cancer
- Chronic kidney disease
- Primary immunodeficiencies
- Solid organ or blood stem cell transplantation
- HIV/AIDS
- Mental health conditions
- neurologic conditions
- tuberculosis
- Use of corticosteroid or other immunosuppressive agents
- Pregnancy
- Disabilities
- Belonging to an underrepresented racial or ethnic group
Updated Vaccines Available This Fall
new COVID-19 vaccines designed to better match current variants are available this fall, including updated formulations from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech, as well as a new version of the Novavax vaccine.
While the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines are approved for young children, the Novavax protein-based vaccine is currently restricted to individuals aged 65 years or older, and those aged 12 to 64 years with at least one risk factor for severe COVID-19. Dr. Grogg noted, ”They’re mostly the same.”