Vaccine hesitancy

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/vaccine-hesitancy

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the historical precedent?Resistance to vaccination has been documented since the development of early vaccines
2. What is the public health mechanism?Herd immunity, achieved through high vaccination coverage, protects vulnerable populations
3. Why do some people feel scared about new vaccines?People may worry about side effects or not understand how vaccines work, especially when they are new. This fear has happened since the first vaccines.
4. How does not getting vaccinated affect everyone?When fewer people are vaccinated, diseases can come back and hurt babies, older people, and those who are weak. Vaccines help protect the whole community.

Vaccine Hesitancy: A complex behavior characterized by a delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccines despite availability of vaccination services.
Herd Immunity: A form of indirect protection from infectious disease that occurs when a large percentage of a population has become immune.
Misinformation/Disinformation: False or inaccurate information (misinformation) or deliberately deceptive false information (disinformation).
Risk Perception: The subjective judgment that people make about a risk, influenced by emotions and biases.