VACCINATION ATTITUDE AND COVID-19 IN THE WORLD AND IN TURKEY

Abstract

Vaccination is one of the most cost-effective community interventions and it contributes to the longer and healthier life of people by preventing millions of deaths each year. In order to prevent epidemics and the occurrence of vaccine-preventable infectious diseases, a certain level of immunity in the society needs to be exceeded. Besides vaccine supply and distribution, vaccine refusal and vaccine hesitancy are among the main obstacles to achieve the targeted immunity levels. In recent years, vaccine refusal and vaccine hesitancy, which have become more common in the world and in our country, threaten the health of all individuals in the society. In the studies conducted, it is shown that the concerns about vaccine safety and side effects along with lack of knowledge and awareness about the importance of vaccination are among the most common causes of vaccine refusal and vaccine hesitation. In addition, the negative attitude towards vaccines prevents reaching the targeted rates in COVID-19 vaccination, as in other vaccines. In order to increase the rates of vaccination, various vaccination policies are applied in the world including mandatory vaccination. The purpose of this review is to present the reasons for vaccine hesitancy and refusal, the current situation in the world and in Turkey, the vaccination policies and legal situation in the countries and to offer solutions.