Media Influence on Vaccination Attitudes

Peer and social media validation was identified as one of the primary motivators for vaccination. Both accurate public health information and misinformation circulated through the same channels, influencing attitudes in both pro- and anti-vaccine directions. Sensationalised media coverage of rare serious adverse events was a particularly potent driver of vaccine hesitancy. Some participants perceived media coverage as exaggerating the severity of the pandemic. Social media platforms, television, newspapers, and the internet all served as key information sources about COVID-19 vaccines, alongside friends and healthcare workers.