How do we build trust in vaccines? Build trust in the scientific process. @RonJohnsonWI is holding a hearing on hydroxychloroquine to undermine vaccine progress.
@Brown_SPH Dean @ashishkjha is leading a response: trust science over snake oil & suspicion. https://twitter.com/ashishkjha/status/1336088014855008256?s=21

We need to build trust in vaccination if we want to improve public health, security, and the economy. It won’t be easy; anti-vax and conspiracy theories take root in our low scientific literacy, as I explore in Trustworthy.

But we have something else on our side: hope. (2/)

Most people want to get smarter about their health, and optimistically believe that with enough research, they CAN get smarter—that’s why sources of dubious information gain attention, but also why investments in scientific and health literacy do too. (3/)

Education—not hype or false assurances—builds confidence in science and public health initiatives. Polling from @PewResearch earlier this year reveals we’re already on that path. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/02/12/key-findings-about-americans-confidence-in-science-and-their-views-on-scientists-role-in-society/ft_2020-02-12_aaasroundup_04/

Teach people to trust science by helping them get smarter. Don’t dumb down jargon—explain it. See the impact of @NHSuk http://nhs.uk : Content designers couch jargon in familiar phrasing, simplify boated language with active voice, and empower patient with clear steps.

Then help people do their own research. To explain vaccination rollout, @nytimes created a tool to unpack the logic. Tools like this help you inoculate yourself against the cynicism around “line-jumping” and challenges in the supply chain. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/12/03/opinion/covid-19-vaccine-timeline.html

Don’t trust false bravado and empty promises. But we can renew trust in science through education. Content designers and information designers can empower people and foster trust. Here’s the statement @ashishkjha references. Here's where we begin: https://globalepidemics.org/2020/12/07/why-scientific-evidence-matters-in-a-pandemic/