Policy Reports
GHSN Policy Reports
The Global Health Security Network was formed to to bring together like minded professionals who wish to seek and share their knowledge and research on global health security. Throughout the year the GHSN will be commissioning policy reports from authors around the world, which will be available to download for members. If you are interested in producing a policy report for us please email exec@ghsn.org with a proposal for your research.
GHSN Policy Report 3. The Drivers of COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake and Strategies to Increase Vaccination Rates
Written by: Dr Kerrie Wiley (1) Professor Julie Leask (1,2) 1 Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia 2 Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, The University of Sydney, Australia.
The COVID-19 pandemic is an international public health emergency with major social, economic, environmental and health consequences. Vaccination is an important strategy needed to control the effects of the pandemic, and the effectiveness of vaccination programs hinges on the public’s uptake of vaccines. Low vaccination rates are often assumed to be the result of vaccine hesitancy; however hesitancy– a motivational state of being conflicted or opposed to vaccination – is one of a number of social and behavioural drivers of vaccine uptake. The practicalities of going about getting vaccinated also play an important role², yet is often overlooked. Governments must understand and address these drivers in vaccine uptake when deciding how to address low vaccination rates.
GHSN Policy Report 2. COVID-19 Vaccines and Intellectual Property
Written by: Sam Halabi, JD, MPhil Sharonann Lynch Juliette McHardy, LLB, LLM Center for Transformational Health Law, O’Neill Institute, Georgetown University
The latest variant of concern highlights yet again the urgent need to expedite vaccine access to every country and peoples of the world. Intellectual property rights are seen as one hurdle to achieving that universal access. This report, a joint initiative between the Global Health Security Network and Georgetown University’s O’Neill Institute, outlines not only how and why IP rights are impeding efforts to make COVID vaccines accessible to all, but also offers some practical solutions for addressing the current vaccine shortages and building a more equitable system for the future.
GHSN Policy Report 3. The COVID-19 Pandemic vs Post-Truth
Written by Dr. Jennifer S. Hunt National Security College, Crawford School of Public Policy ANU
Conspiracy theories constitute a growing challenge to tackling COVID-19. Alongside the global spread of the pandemic itself, spurious allegations of hoaxes, cures and secret cabals circumnavigate the global information commons, poisoning debate, eroding community consensus and paralysing policymaking. Conspiratorial assertions challenging the severity of the virus, the need for mitigation efforts, and the motives of state and public health communities have moved from the dark corners of the Internet to Facebook page pages and even elected officials. These narratives undermine public health messages and measures…
