The Jab: How to persuade the sceptics?

All adults in America are now eligible for a covid-19 vaccine. Around 30% of those polled in the country, however, are hesitant to take the jab. A shortage of vaccines will soon become a shortage of arms. What is the best way to persuade reluctant citizens to get inoculated? We speak to Heidi Larson, anthropologist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and founding director of the Vaccine Confidence Project, about the similarities between vaccine hesitancy today and the 19th century. Crystal Son, director of healthcare analytics at Civis Analytics, on why vaccine safety messaging is ineffective. Alok Jha and Natasha Loder are joined by Edward Carr, The Economist’s deputy editor, and Tamara Gilkes Borr, US policy correspondent. For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/thejabpod. Sign up for our new weekly science and data newsletters at economist.com/simplyscience and economist.com/offthecharts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Om Podcasten

The Economist unlocks the science, data and politics behind the most ambitious inoculation programme the world has ever seen.Alok Jha, The Economist’s science correspondent, hosts with Natasha Loder, our health-policy editor. Each week our reporters and data journalists join them in conversation, along with scientists around the world.Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ at www.economist.com/podcastsplusIf you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.