Hybrid Hearing on “Building Trust and Battling Barriers: The Urgent Need to Overcome Vaccine Hesitancy”

On Thursday, July 1 at 9:00 a.m., Rep. James E. Clyburn, Chairman of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, will hold a timely hybrid remote / in-person hearing on combating coronavirus vaccine hesitancy and increasing vaccinations across the country. Witnesses were invited by the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Select Subcommittee on a bipartisan basis and will offer perspectives, insights, and recommendations on addressing vaccine hesitancy in diverse audiences.

Although all coronavirus vaccines authorized in the United States are proven to be safe and effective, vaccine hesitancy is keeping many eligible people from getting vaccinated. Recent surveys show that public confidence in the vaccines has increased throughout the year, but up to 20 percent of Americans continue to say they will refuse a vaccine if offered and others remain unsure. The hearing comes amid reports of the Delta variant spreading rapidly in the United States, particularly in communities with large unvaccinated populations.

The Biden Administration has taken significant actions to promote confidence in coronavirus vaccines and to enhance vaccine access for all communities. These unprecedented steps have helped vaccinate more than 179 million Americans in record time, but more work is needed to build on the progress made to date. Extensive outreach to the public, particularly rural communities and communities disproportionately impacted by the virus, will be necessary to ensure that uncertainty and misinformation do not prevent Americans from getting vaccinated.