Why Some People Still Don’t Trust Vaccines—And How to Bridge the Gap

Introduction:

As a kid, you may have been taken to hospitals to get certain, possibly painful shots that you dreaded. However, vaccines are extremely crucial to the human immune system, as they help fend off dangerous diseases that could seriously compromise the immune system. Vaccines strengthen your resilience against pathogens by utilizing the body’s natural defense system against harmful pathogens, such as influenza, COVID, and meningitis. However, depending on where you live, you may not have received these shots.  

Some people have claimed that vaccines cause autism. Others have claimed that vaccines are “toxic” or “poisonous to the human body.” Some even believe that it’s a form of government control over citizens, or that the government is using vaccines to track them! Why is that the case? If there are so many benefits associated with vaccines, why are people wary of them? In this blog, we explore the human psychology behind the reluctance to vaccines, specifically how external factors, such as government and health beliefs, could affect people’s perception of vaccines, and how to convince people that vaccines are beneficial not just to themselves but also to other people. But first, what are vaccines, and how exactly do they work?

What are Vaccines?

Vaccines are substances that strengthen the immune system by activating immune system cells—such as killer T cells and killer B cells— to create antibodies that can defend the body against viruses or pathogens. They are administered orally, by injection, and by nasal spray. A vaccine contains a much weaker version of the target virus—chickenpox, for example, was eradicated with the creation of the first varicella vaccine in Japan, by Dr. Michiaki Takahashi. The first vaccine came in 1796, from an English doctor named Edward Jenner. How he did this was by taking some of the material from a blister from an individual—which was caused by cowpox—and injected that into another person. This process is called arm-to-arm inoculation. This method became popular in the 1940s, when scientific knowledge was developed enough to manufacture vaccines on a larger scale. Today, vaccines are widely used to build a barrier against dangerous pathogens that could otherwise make you bedridden.

When you get a vaccine, your body and immune system will react. First, the immune system recognizes the foreign object, which is the weakened virus contained in the vaccine. Second, the immune system, as mentioned earlier, will produce natural defenses such as antibodies against that foreign object. Third, the body remembers how to fight that virus/pathogen and keeps it in the immune system’s memory through memory B and T cells. This is key to the vaccine’s functionality; it makes sure that the body remembers how to fight that specific pathogen, in case the real, unadulterated pathogen does come to impact the body.

The best part about a vaccine is that nearly everybody can be vaccinated! Vaccines are administered every day to children, adults, seniors, and more. However, some people shouldn’t get vaccinated, such as those undergoing chemotherapy, having severe illness, or who are allergic to a vaccine’s ingredients. Other than those risks, there is no excuse not to get vaccinated.

Why Are Some People Skeptical?

However, some people are wary about vaccines, despite the benefits they can confer. For centuries, there has been a rising opposition against vaccines. This was most prevalent in the UK, back in the 1800s; public health authorities passed the Vaccination Acts in 1840, 1853, and 1871. This allowed for free vaccination for children, and later on, it became mandatory.

But riots and protests broke out in the streets, opposing this new act. They were also opposing Jenner’s contribution to vaccines. They also broke out due to religious reasons, an example being Edmund Massey insisting that diseases were divine retribution and punishment from God, and should not be interfered with by the help of vaccines. Anti-vaccine mentality began with government-mandated vaccines and the developments in the medical field, leaving some people skeptical.How do Vaccines Help?

Despite the backlash, vaccines have an important place in the medical community. As mentioned earlier, vaccines help build the body’s natural defense system against pathogens, which can make a person more resilient against sickness. Not only does this help an individual, but it can also help others who are unvaccinated. This is known as herd immunity—a phenomenon that results from multiple people being vaccinated, which prevents the germ from infecting unvaccinated people.Vaccines are also regularly tested, so there is an extremely low chance of you getting harmed when taking a vaccine. Finally, it can boost your life-span, as it can reduce the chances of you catching a deadly or incurable disease that may compromise your health in the long term.Ways to Encourage Vaccination

To encourage more people to get vaccinated, public awareness is important. Utilizing social media is key to reaching a wider audience, which may inspire people to get vaccinated. Hosting vaccination drives with fun events can also attract people to get vaccinated. Trusted people, such as doctors or surgeons, can persuade people by explaining the benefits of vaccinations during doctor appointments. Most importantly, educating those who are skeptical can go a long way; it may encourage them to get vaccinated in the future, if not today.

If you know someone wary of vaccines, explain to them the benefits of vaccines. Educate them about the blogs and journals made that are about vaccine testing. After all, every person vaccinated means a step towards a healthier future for not just themselves, but for others.

References

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Boulanger, A. (2017, September 15). Understanding Opposition to Vaccines. Healthline; Healthline Media. https://www.healthline.com/health/vaccinations/opposition

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, August 10). Explaining How Vaccines Work. Vaccines & Immunizations; CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/basics/explaining-how-vaccines-work.html

Cleveland Clinic. (2022, March 16). Herd immunity: History, vaccines, Threshold & What It Means. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22599-herd-immunity

Greenwood, B. (2014). The contribution of vaccination to global health: past, present, and future. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 369(1645), 20130433–20130433. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2013.0433

Grimes, D. R. (2025, September 7). The strange history of the anti-vaccine movement. Bbc.com; BBC. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250905-the-strange-history-of-the-anti-vaccine-movement

Ozaki, T., & Asano, Y. (2016). Development of varicella vaccine in Japan and future prospects. Vaccine, 34(29), 3427–3433. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2016.04.059

World Health Organization. (2024, April 23). Vaccines and immunization: What is vaccination? World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/vaccines-and-immunization-what-is-vaccination