What is the reception and impact of a COVID-19 vaccine likely to be like? Is the fate of the vaccine already sealed by the public and political tug-of-war over its rapid approval? Are we likely to see the same fault-lines as with the MMR vaccine, or would a COVID-19 vaccine have the potential to change the debate about vaccination? How will the recent U.S. election change the dynamics of how the vaccine is received?

More generally, under what conditions do people tend to trust vaccines? What has worked in the past when it comes to vaccination campaigns, and could potentially work in the future? Does it help to frame the matter not as individual decision but in relation to one’s network of family and friends? What are, conversely, the sources of resistance to vaccines or of vaccine hesitancy? How should a vaccination campaign be framed and organized?

We will explore these questions and more with an esteemed panel of practitioners, communication specialists and social scientists including Amanda Cohn (CDC), Rupali Limaye (Johns Hopkins), James Colgrove (Columbia), Jane Zucker (NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene) and Jennifer Reich (University of Colorado).