Balkan public distrust will endanger vaccine take-up

Significance

Non-EU Balkan countries are lagging behind EU member states in securing access to vaccines. However, survey data show that a clear majority of citizens would refuse to accept a government-sanctioned vaccine, representing a possible risk to public health for years to come.

Impacts

• Russia and China will try to boost their influence by offering their own vaccines more quickly and in quantity.
• The relative safety of Russian and Western vaccines will be an issue in Russian disinformation campaigns.
• The EU will lose ground in the geopolitical contest, with doses not available via the WHO-GAVI COVAX scheme until April.