In response to vaccine hesitancy concerns following changes to US immunization policies in January 2026, the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) was asked by the Chief Medical Health Officers and the Office of the Provincial Health Officer to support immunization providers with resources to address emerging public concerns about vaccines. In response, I developed and disseminated a provincial survey to immunization providers (n=281) to better understand vaccine hesitancy concerns being expressed during client encounters. Beyond misinformation, survey results identified broader structural and systemic issues impacting trust in vaccines and vaccination services. Providers reported client concerns related to vaccine safety, appointment booking systems, and reduced trust in public health, health care systems, and providers following the COVID-19 pandemic and associated vaccine mandates. Providers also reported that clients are increasingly unwilling to discuss vaccine concerns. While vaccine hesitancy research frequently emphasizes the importance of building trust, these recommendations often remain abstract and focus heavily on provider communication techniques. Survey findings suggest that trust is also shaped by prior experiences, relationships, accessibility, systems design and navigation, and historical and structural factors. There is a need to better understand what health systems and providers can practically do to foster trust in vaccinations, particularly among historically marginalized communities, in preparation for future public health emergencies. This 1-day hybrid event will be hosted at BCCDC and will leverage existing provincial relationships and networks. Participants will include immunization leaders from all five regional health authorities, the First Nations Health Authority, leaders from immunizing professions, as well as Elders, Métis Nation leaders, community organization leaders, researchers, and trainees in public health. Discussion notes will be collected with participant consent to identify key themes regarding what helps build trust in vaccination systems and what actions providers and organizations can realistically take to address concerns. Findings will inform updates to BCCDC immunization provider resources and may also help identify future research priorities related to trust-building beyond communication-based approaches.
Additional team members and participating organizations:
– Vaccine Evaluation Center, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, UBC