vaccine hesitancy

noun

plural vaccine hesitancies
: the reluctance or refusal to have oneself or one's children vaccinated
Vaccine hesitancy can contribute to the continued spread of disease because vaccinations are not being administered.Fred Steiner
Scientists are expressing concern over what they call "vaccine hesitancy" regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.Katie Camero
WHO [World Health Organization] notes that measles cases have increased by 30 percent across the globe, and while not all cases are due to vaccine hesitancies, some countries that had nearly eliminated the disease have seen its return.Katie Gillespie

Examples of vaccine hesitancy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
He is known for his vaccine hesitancy and stance against fluoride in water, despite both being widely encouraged by medical professionals. Kinsey Crowley, The Indianapolis Star, 21 Nov. 2024 The bottom line: Elevating Kennedy to a position of power could ultimately lead to more vaccine hesitancy, more infectious disease, less trust in public health institutions and generalized distrust of the health care system. Caitlin Owens, Axios, 3 Nov. 2024 Nevertheless, there have periodically been upticks in childhood vaccine hesitancy. Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024 From vaccine hesitancy to trust Fatima is a respected mentor within the family, deeply rooted in her principles. Unicef Usa, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for vaccine hesitancy 

Word History

First Known Use

2002, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of vaccine hesitancy was in 2002

Dictionary Entries Near vaccine hesitancy

Cite this Entry

“Vaccine hesitancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vaccine%20hesitancy. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

vaccine hesitancy

noun
: the reluctance or refusal to have oneself or one's children vaccinated
Scientists are expressing concern over what they call "vaccine hesitancy" regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.Katie Camero, The Miami Herald
Reasons for vaccine hesitancy fit into 3 categories: lack of confidence (in effectiveness, safety, the system, or policy makers), complacency (perceived low risk of acquiring VPDs [vaccine preventable diseases]), and lack of convenience …Shixin Shen and Vinita Dubey, Canadian Family Physician
WHO [World Health Organization] notes that measles cases have increased by 30 percent across the globe, and while not all cases are due to vaccine hesitancies, some countries that had nearly eliminated the disease have seen its return.Katie Gillespie, The Columbian (Vancouver, Washington)
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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