Vaccine hesitancy in public healthcare during pandemics

Background: This paper explores vaccine hesitancy through the lens of management learning in public healthcare during pandemics. It addresses the need for qualitative insights from active academics, focusing on their uncertainties and ambivalence regarding COVID‐19 vaccination. The study aims to deepen understanding of vaccine hesitancy during the pandemic from a management learning perspective, examining healthcare systems, governance, and community trust. Methods: Using a qualitative approach, the research draws from a multidisciplinary research network in health and digital society. A total of 27 scholars from 17 countries participated in an open‐ended questionnaire designed to elicit insights on the strategies, ethics, and public responses associated with national COVID‐19 vaccination efforts. Data collection occurred from May 2021 to July 2021, during the initial rollout of vaccines to broader populations. The analysis employed a hermeneutical framework, using thematic analysis to interpret textual data. Illustrative accounts enriched the contextual understanding. Results: The resulting themes are information and disinformation