Public trust has been corroded over time and is at a low. Building trust is a critical part of ending the COVID-19 pandemic, as many COVID-19 and public health response measures including vaccination benefit from higher levels of public trust and trust in public health.

Many communities have good reason to be distrustful, weary, or skeptical. BIPOC communities, as a prime example, have been harmed through many of our response systems. Understanding historic and contemporary factors that have contributed to the status quo can help advocates bridge divides.

Building trust in the public health and health care systems, and specifically in COVID-19 vaccination and response is of utmost importance. Models for building trust include effective approaches at tackling misinformation and using trusted messengers, especially in priority populations