A Challenge of Trust: Prevailing Narratives Surrounding the Vaccination Process Against COVID-19 in the City of Bogotá

Abstract

COVID-19 vaccines were crucial in overcoming the pandemic; however, ensuring widespread acceptance posed significant challenges for health authorities. They needed to persuade the public of the importance of vaccination, using scientific information, within an environment saturated with shifting and often contradictory evidence that led to confusion and mistrust. Through 19 focus groups (5 virtual and 14 in-person), involving 90 participants, the study explored individual perceptions and collective understanding, allowing a closer look at social representations (SR) regarding information consumption in Bogotá, the National Vaccination Plan, and the vaccines themselves. Positive SRs included viewing vaccination as an act of solidarity and recognizing the role of close acquaintances and local media as trusted information sources. Negative SRs also emerged, such as perceived injustice over ignored adverse reactions, perceived infringement on autonomy and citizen control, inequality and discrimination in information access (notably affecting migrants, the elderly, and individuals with hearing impairments), and a lack of awareness about fact-checking resources.