Vaccination rates, perceptions, and information sources in inflammatory arthritis: Comment on the article by Lyon et al.

Dear Editor, We would like to discuss an article entitled “Vaccination rates, perceptions, and information sources used by people with inflammatory arthritis” (1). Lyon et al investigated vaccination rates, perceptions, and information sources in patients with inflammatory arthritis (1). According to Lyon et al, participants with inflammatory arthritis had generally positive attitudes toward vaccination, although there was considerable uncertainty about which vaccinations were recommended for them (1). Lyon et al concluded, "This study underscores the need for improved consumer information about vaccination recommendations for people with inflammatory arthritis" (1). A more pressing source of concern right now is the acceptance rate of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine. Vaccine distribution remains a difficult problem for public health organizations all over the world. People who consistently oppose vaccinations have lower trust in their community’s health care system (2). People may turn to public health solutions more or less frequently during a crisis, depending on how much they trust their local public health administration. When local regulations, such as those in Asian countries, are based on the local people and require specific heterologous immunization regimens, the local populace’s trust may suffer. The level of public trust in local public health crisis response will have a significant impact on the success of COVID-19 public health activities (3).