Clinicians as community advocates: interplays of vaccines and society

ABSTRACT

Interactions between the medical community, government, and the wider public during the COVID-19 pandemic have been an important consideration throughout the pandemic response. Attitudes towards vaccinations, in particular, have been especially complex. From the discordance of political and healthcare interests to vaccine hesitancy, there are an array of perspectives on both the delivery and administration of the vaccine. However, in a time of crisis, coherent voices need to prevail. Clinicians need to be encouraged to vocalize their expertise and lived experiences beyond the bedside. Gaps in clinician involvement with decision-making bodies have led to an erosion of trust between the public and healthcare authorities. In this commentary, we argue that it is important that medical professionals are supported in their advocacy, to act as a bridge between reliable and unbiased healthcare information and the wider community, to promote public trust, and to combat medical misinformation.