5. Conclusions
Vaccine hesitancy is a public health threat. It undermines historical achievements and thwarts years of progress in the fight against infectious diseases. It is marked by low parental vaccine trust, poor vaccination uptake, and high NMEs. The geographic clustering of vaccine hesitancy, particularly against the MMR vaccine, indicates that social drivers shape parental perceptions and decisions on immunization.
The findings of this review may have potential implications in tackling hesitancy toward other vaccines. Geographic clusters of under- and unvaccinated individuals where NMEs predominate and where social determinants facilitate vaccine hesitancy could serve as hotspots for other infectious diseases. As the United States and the world continue to confront the resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases and the emergence of new infections, and current and future pandemics, it becomes imperative to develop strategies that target the social conditions that drive vaccine hesitancy...
