Preliminary research and media reports suggested a third of Australian adults were unlikely to be vaccinated against COVID-19, with doubts about vaccine side-effects and perception of COVID-19 risk among the top contributors to vaccine hesitancy in the general population. Despite being at higher risk of severe illness due to their diagnosis and treatment, there are indications that people with cancer also experienced vaccine hesitancy. Calls to Cancer Council Victoria’s Cancer Information and Support Service, as well as feedback from cancer clinicians, indicated confusion about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine for people with cancer. Callers and clinicians raised various concerns including changing vaccine eligibility criteria, media reports on adverse events, access barriers and misinformation.
Community organisations such as Cancer Council are playing a critical role in supporting people affected by cancer to understand how to navigate the impacts of the pandemic on their current and future situation. We undertook a nation-wide survey and combined these results with advice from community members, clinicians and communications experts to develop information and communications. We will share results and lessons that allowed us to cut through the noise to support people with cancer understand and access COVID-19 vaccines.