Rethinking Perspectives: Misconceptions about Anti-Vaxxers within Black Communities in the Context of COVID-19 and Covid-19 Vaccine

Despite widespread acknowledgment that vaccination significantly contributes to saving lives, the Covid-19 pandemic revealed that considerable barriers continue to persist. The situation is particularly worrying among black communities. Published evidence indicates a notably low COVID-19 vaccine uptake among Black communities and other ethnic minorities. This paper aims to unearth possible reasons, drawing on a qualitative study examining key motivators for COVID-19 vaccination among people of Black African and Black African Caribbean heritage in London, England. It presents findings to make sense of anti-vaxxers and individuals' strong attitudes and perceptions against COVID-19 and the Covid-19 vaccination, especially within Black communities. Failure to contextualise anti-vaxxers' views on vaccination and global health systems will perpetuate resistance to vaccination efforts, particularly within Black communities globally. With the World Health Organization warning that vaccine hesitancy poses a significant global health threat and is listed as one of the top 10 global health problems, requiring urgent attention, this paper, while utilising critical race lens, reveals critical insights that may necessitate policy and practice actions among Black populations.