Vaccine acceptance in the context of potential highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) outbreaks: Looking beyond online misinformation

Public health agencies worldwide are increasingly worried about a potential bird flu pandemic. New vaccines are being developed, some countries have started stockpiling them, and others are vaccinating farmworkers. However, high vaccination acceptance depends not just on having safe and effective vaccines. During the COVID-19 pandemic, false information online was frequently cited as a reason why people were refusing COVID-19 vaccination. In the context of potential outbreaks of bird flu, we will gather data on information about flu and flu vaccines that is shared online and on how people access and use it to make vaccination decisions. Our study will use a method called "online ethnography" to describe online discussions about flu vaccination in Canada. We will also interview adults to have their views about influenza vaccination and to better understand their trusted sources of information about this vaccine.