Sir, I am surprised and concerned that, according to a report on the behavioural aspects of vaccine update and misinformation, published by the British Academy and Royal Society, around 36% of the UK population are either uncertain or unlikely to be vaccinated against COVID-19.1

Vaccinations are one of the most successful public health measures in history, preventing multiple diseases, hence saving millions of lives and also bringing about large-scale societal and economic benefits. For this to be successful, a community-level vaccine coverage of 80%+ for COVID-19 will be required.1 Misinformation regarding the vaccine is driven by five key factors: distrust of science and selective use of expert authority, distrust in pharmaceutical companies and government, simplistic explanations, use of emotion and anecdotes to impact rational decision-making, and development of information bubbles and echo chambers. Behavioural factors include complacency (perception of risk, severity of disease), trust and confidence (efficacy, safety), convenience (barriers, access), sources of information and socio-demographic characteristics (eg education, sex, ethnicity, religion, post-vaccination behaviour).2

As healthcare professionals, our patients may come to us with questions regarding this new vaccine, and we must equip ourselves with the knowledge to answer these queries and put their minds at ease. We are trained to interpret scientific information, follow evidence-based research, and portray this information in an accessible and comprehensible way. Directing patients to reliable sources of information, such as the WHO website, which provides a 'mythbusters' page collating the main misinformation coronavirus messages, could be useful.2 While personal opinion and choices cannot be overlooked, collectively, we can work towards dismantling misinformation and protecting public health.