Vaccine hesitancy cost lives during Covid-19—but countries in Central and Eastern Europe can learn from Britain’s, and from each other’s, success at overcoming such obstacles.
In the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, vaccines were touted as the silver bullet to end lockdowns and relieve overwhelmed hospitals. Yet, as doses arrived, a harder task emerged: convincing people—especially in Central and Eastern Europe—that the jab was safe and necessary.
Misinformation, distrust in authority and patchy public messaging kept vaccination rates low. The result was far too many preventable deaths. But these shortfalls need not be permanent. Recent discussions at a key event in Bratislava showed that cross-border collaboration and the sharing of best practice—particularly from the United Kingdom—can chart a path to higher uptake and healthier outcomes.
During the pandemic, vaccine hesitancy was pronounced in places such as Bulgaria, Romania and Slovakia. Conspiracy theories festered, officials struggled to counter them, and take-up lagged behind Western Europe.
Bulgaria, for instance, fully vaccinated only 30 per cent of its people by late 2021, compared with over 70 per cent in Britain. This reluctance exacted a grim toll as health systems buckled and mortality rates soared.
By contrast, Britain became one of the world’s standout vaccination successes. Swift procurement, candid public messaging and grassroots engagement were critical.
Officials explained vaccine efficacy and side effects in plain language, promptly addressed fears and quashed falsehoods. More crucial still, the National Health Service (NHS) made local doctors, community leaders and trusted influencers the backbone of its outreach.
Ageing populations and the economic imperative of vaccination
Beyond pandemics, routine shots—particularly for influenza—are more vital than ever as Europe greys.
Across Central and Eastern Europe, older populations pile pressure on health systems. Seasonal flu outbreaks spark hospital admissions and push up death rates. Research shows that widespread flu vaccination can cut such admissions by up to 40 per cent, thereby slashing costs and freeing up capacity.
Despite these benefits, flu vaccine uptake remains worryingly low, often below 20 per cent among older people in Bulgaria and Poland—far short of the World Health Organisation’s 75 per cent target.
Raising confidence via better communication and transparency, as Britain’s NHS does, can yield safer outcomes, fewer complications and less strain on overstretched hospitals.
Bridging gaps through dialogue and collaboration
In response to these challenges, the British Embassy in Sofia last month held a gathering in Bratislava uniting officials, experts and policymakers from Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Serbia and the UK.
The forum highlighted Britain’s success in adult immunisation and preventive care, offering insights and strategies adaptable to local contexts.
Ivan Rangelov, marketing manager and commercial lead for AstraZeneca in the South Balkans, underscored the importance of proactive healthcare.
“Our main focus at AstraZeneca is on driving early prevention and diagnosis to essentially prolong human lives,” he said. He pointed to nationwide campaigns in Bulgaria that reached millions, crediting “partnerships with ministries, patient associations, healthcare professionals and municipalities” as cornerstones of success.
Dr Boriana Guimicheva, vaccines medical head at GSK UK, stressed the pivotal role of trust and clear communication. “Vaccine confidence isn’t just about the product,” she noted, “it’s also about the person and service delivering it, as well as those setting policy.” She insisted that complacency must be confronted head-on and that “one-size-fits-all messaging doesn’t work. We must carefully tailor communications to different groups.”
Dr Guimicheva also outlined the practical merits of centralised vaccine procurement: it cuts waste, streamlines logistics and boosts efficiency.
She highlighted Britain’s pharmacies, which—alongside GP clinics—have broadened access and reduced pressure on primary care.
“Expanding pharmacy delivery could save around 400,000 GP appointments annually,” she observed, illustrating how small shifts in logistics can have a big impact.
The wider socioeconomic value of vaccination
Dr Lotte Steuten, deputy chief executive of the UK’s Office of Health Economics, underlined how adult vaccination programmes can offset their own costs up to 19 times over.
“Respiratory infections alone cost UK businesses around 44 billion UK pounds each year,” she explained, “so vaccination not only prevents disease but also relieves healthcare systems and boosts the wider economy.”
She noted that vaccines can help combat antimicrobial resistance by reducing unnecessary antibiotic use.
Dr Steuten called on governments to adopt a “prevention-first mindset,” arguing that robust immunisation efforts are pivotal to managing healthcare demand in rapidly ageing societies. “Expanding adult vaccination is not just beneficial from a public-health standpoint—it is economically imperative,” she concluded.
Towards a more resilient Europe
Collaboration across borders allows governments to pool insights, refine strategies and share cautionary tales. Programmes that match Bulgarian or Romanian officials with their British peers, for instance, can spark new approaches to community engagement.
Workshops, public campaigns and alliances with local influencers are all part of the recipe. When successes and failures are exchanged, mistakes become less likely to repeat.
Covid-19 showed how lethal vaccine hesitancy can be. It also taught the importance of trust in public institutions and transparent, timely messaging. Now is the moment to invest in resilient healthcare systems.
Targeting not just pandemic threats but everyday immunisations—like childhood vaccines or annual flu jabs—will yield healthier citizens and leaner hospitals.
As Dr Guimicheva remarked, “trust is multifactorial,” while Dr Steuten emphasised the economic payoff: “Vaccination programmes offer a chance to help societies age well and thrive.”
The lesson could not be clearer. If Central and Eastern Europe wishes to avoid spending ever-increasing amounts on medical care for the elderly, it must embrace cross-border collaboration and follow the best examples on offer.
Doing so is no longer optional—it is essential.
Photo by Mufid Majnun on Unsplash.
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