The logic of vaccine hesitant parents

STAT trust-in-science reporter Nick Florko speaks with sociologist Jennifer Reich about why some parents hesitate to vaccinate their children, and why dismissing their concerns can be counter-productive. Florko and Reich explore why parents may delay vaccination, discuss the tension between individual choice and community health, and what public health can do differently to rebuild trust. 0:00 Why vaccine hesitancy isn't necessarily irrational 0:47 What parents' vaccine decisions reveal 3:30 Individual choice versus community health 5:27 How public health can rebuild trust 9:02 Why some parents become skeptical 11:41 Secretary Kennedy and vaccine concerns 12:14 Vaccination isn't an all-or-nothing decision 13:49 Addressing "too many, too soon" 14:55 Why doing less can feel safer 16:24 The overlooked risks of infectious disease 17:38 A more nuanced vaccine conversation