Gaining the trust of vaccine skeptics

Pfizer backs shot schedule as U.K. spaces doses out Australia starts 2021 with fewer new cases Macron warns of a few tough months ahead Gaining the trust of vaccine skeptics For the near future, the U.S. doesn't have enough Covid-19 vaccines. Hospital workers are lining up for the first doses, the government is securing new supplies of the shots cleared for use and drugmakers with experimental vaccines await trial results needed to evaluate them. But the balance is likely to tilt in the new year: With hundreds of millions of doses in the pipeline, at some point the U.S. will probably have enough shots for everyone ready to take them. At that moment, the challenge will shift from making and distributing the vaccines to persuading the public to take the shots we do have. And persuasion – getting people to trust the recommendations of authorities and change their behavior accordingly – hasn't been a strong element of of the U.S. response to the pandemic, to say the least. Think of masks: By now broadly adopted by much of the public, they remain a flashpoint for a vocal minority. Some people will likewise reject vaccines outright. Others remain persuadable but will need more reassurance and engagement to make them comfortable taking the vaccines. And it's not clear that the U.S. vaccine effort is up for that. The stakes are particularly high in communities of color, where people have suffered disproportionately from Covid-19. Decades of mistreatment by medical authorities has left lingering distrust. A one-size-fits-all approach to promoting vaccination would fail some of the most vulnerable, said Toyin Ajayi, a physician and chief health officer of Cityblock Health, a startup that focuses on low-income patients with complex needs. The U.S. risks looking around a year from now to say, "We just invested billions of dollars in this vaccine rollout, and guess what? Rich white people got vaccinated at twice the rate of poor people of color," Ajayi said in a recent interview. If the country is committed to avoiding that scenario, leaders, health officials and communities need to work now to understand people's needs and gain the trust of skeptics. How well we do that will determine whether the vaccines that could end the pandemic in the U.S. actually will.--John Tozzi Vaccine Tracker More Than 10.3 Million Shots Given The biggest vaccination campaign in history has begun. More than 10.3 million doses in 29 countries have been administered, according to data collected by Bloomberg.   What you should read Senator Quarantines Days Before Crucial Runoff Outcome of two races will determine control of U.S. Senate. Investors Who Stared Down Turmoil Rewarded Year marked by fastest bear market followed by a big melt-up. Japan's Stance Against Emergency May Change  Coronavirus infections fueled by cold weather show no signs of abating. How to Remember a Plague Many made efforts to archive photos and artifacts of the pandemic. For Many, 2020 Was a Year Without Commuting The pandemic-driven rise of remote work emptied trains in major cities.  Know someone else who would like this newsletter? Have them sign up here. Have any questions, concerns, or news tips on Covid-19 news? Get in touch or help us cover the story. Like this newsletter? Subscribe for unlimited access to trusted, data-based journalism in 120 countries around the world and gain expert analysis from exclusive daily newsletters, The Bloomberg Open and The Bloomberg Close. Follow Us Get the newsletter You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg's Coronavirus Daily newsletter. Unsubscribe | Bloomberg.com | Contact Us Bloomberg L.P. 731 Lexington, New York, NY, 10022