What Is Vaccine Confidence?
Building Trust in COVID-19 Vaccines
Vaccine confidence is the belief that vaccines:
- Work
- Are safe
- Are part of a trustworthy medical system
Many factors influence vaccine decision-making, including cultural, social, and political factors, individual and group factors, and vaccine-specific factors.
Strong confidence in COVID-19 vaccines within communities leads to more adults, adolescents, and children getting vaccinated ― which leads to fewer COVID-19 illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths.
Why is It Important to Build Vaccine Confidence?
Most people in the United States have been vaccinated against COVID-19 and some people may want more information about COVID-19 vaccines before vaccinating themselves or their children. They may want to know more about COVID-19 vaccines, including the process for developing, authorizing and approving these vaccines these vaccines and information about their safety and effectiveness. People may also have previous experiences that affect their trust and confidence in the medical system, which could affect their decision to get themselves or their children vaccinated.
Here’s what you can do:
- Help people become confident in their decision to get themselves or their children vaccinated by taking time to listen to their concerns and answer their questions.
- Share the reasons why you and your children were vaccinated. You can have a powerful influence on your family and community.
Four Ways You Can Help Build COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence
1. Already vaccinated? Become a vaccine champion!
Share your reasons for getting vaccinated and encourage others to get vaccinated.
2. Talk to your friends and family about getting vaccinated.
Use CDC’s resources to help you talk to others about COVID-19 vaccines. Listen to their concerns with empathy and answer their questions about vaccination. See How to Talk About COVID-19 Vaccines with Friends and Family for more information.
3. Address COVID-19 vaccine misinformation.
Cross-check COVID-19 vaccine information with CDC.gov and share facts to counter inaccurate information. Learn how to respond to vaccine misinformation you encounter.
4. Celebrate and share your decision to get vaccinated.
Share your COVID-19 vaccination story on social media and use COVID-19 vaccination stickers and frames available on CDC.gov and social media platforms.
