How to Vaccinate a Nation of Skeptics Against Covid

"A Covid-19 vaccine is getting closer, and governments are scrambling to meet the financial and logistical challenge of immunizing their populations in a short space of time. Hopes for a pickup in global economic growth next year depend on it.
But the bigger challenge may end up being psychological: How to convince people to actually take the shot. Achieving herd immunity may mean at least 80% of people will need the vaccine, leaving little room for error.
Polls suggest it’s France, the birthplace of vaccine pioneer Louis Pasteur, that will be the country to watch. A recent Ipsos survey found that only 54% of French adults would be willing to get a Covid-19 vaccine when it’s available, the lowest score of 15 countries. (The U.S. was second-to-last.)
While France has its share of anti-vaxxers, the main reasons for skepticism are questions about efficacy and a fear of side effects, rather than outright opposition. France is also vulnerable for other reasons: It’s a highly-medicalized society where antibiotics have tended to be over-prescribed, pushing people toward natural remedies. Even 26% of French doctors think some recommended vaccines are useless. Vaccine hesitancy isn’t new, but it’s complex..." Lire la suite