Center on Smart and Connected Health Technologies, Mays Cancer Center, School of Nursing, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States.
Department of Humanities, Institute of Technology Carlow, Carlow, Ireland.
JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2021 Aug 4;7(8):e26111. doi: 10.2196/26111.
Although COVID-19 vaccines are becoming increasingly available, their ability to effectively control and contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic is highly contingent on an array of factors. This paper discusses how limitations to vaccine accessibility, issues associated with vaccine side effects, concerns regarding vaccine efficacy, along with the persistent prevalence of vaccine hesitancy among the public, including health care professionals, might impact the potential of COVID-19 vaccines to curb the pandemic. We draw insights from the literature to identify practical solutions that could boost people's adoption of COVID-19 vaccines and their accessibility. We conclude with a discussion on health experts' and government officials' moral and ethical responsibilities to the public, even in light of the urgency to adopt and endorse "the greatest amount of good for the greatest number" utilitarian philosophy in controlling and managing the spread of COVID-19.
尽管 COVID-19 疫苗的供应日益增加，但它们有效控制和遏制 COVID-19 大流行传播的能力高度依赖于一系列因素。本文讨论了疫苗可及性的限制、与疫苗副作用相关的问题、对疫苗效力的担忧，以及公众（包括医疗保健专业人员）对疫苗的持续犹豫，这些因素可能会影响 COVID-19 疫苗遏制大流行的潜力。我们从文献中汲取见解，以确定可提高人们对 COVID-19 疫苗的接受度和可及性的实际解决方案。最后，我们讨论了健康专家和政府官员对公众的道德和伦理责任，即使在紧急情况下，也需要采用和支持“为最多数人谋求最大利益”的功利主义哲学来控制和管理 COVID-19 的传播。
