Being hesitant toward COVID-19 vaccines could result in more side effects after a shot is administered — a phenomenon of negative opinions spurring negative health outcomes, which is nicknamed "nocebos" — according to a study published Dec. 5 in Nature.
As part of an ongoing, longitudinal study in Israel that's following vaccine side effects, the researchers found that for those who received three vaccine jabs, hesitancy about a second Pfizer dose resulted in nocebo side effects for 16 percent of the 756 study participants. Compared to women, more men experienced the nocebo effect.
The researchers concluded that instead of investing in public health messaging to promote the shots to the unvaccinated, agencies should pivot their strategies toward raising awareness of the low risk of side effects.