Living with Vaccine Hesitancy in Post-Pandemic America: A 2023 Qualitative Snapshot of U.S. Public Perceptions

Vaccination has long been a key part of pandemic response; yet vaccine hesitancy still poses major challenges for immunization efforts. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the world’s lack of preparedness to contain the virus and mitigate its impact. In the U.S., despite mandates and social restrictions, the goal of reaching herd immunity was not achieved. At the same time, dependence on digital media platforms—especially social media—grew, shaping public views on the pandemic and vaccines. This study explored how vaccine hesitancy was influenced by a mix of behavioral and informational factors observed during the H1N1 pandemic. Based on interviews from mid-2023, which was during the post-emergency stage of the pandemic but before big changes in public health policy, the study used a practical qualitative approach to understand the experiences of 30 social media–active participants across the U.S. Results showed that views on vaccine safety and effectiveness, personal health risk assessments, past vaccination habits, media credibility, and personal independence played key roles. While grounded in a particular moment of social and institutional flux, the study captures enduring insights into vaccine attitudes that inform both retrospective understanding and future preparedness. Its findings reflect not only the temporality of public sentiment but also the underlying behavioral drivers that persist across contexts. With the restructuring of federal public health systems and a move toward more localized vaccine communication, these insights continue to offer a valuable understanding of trust, behavior, and future pandemic planning.