Why are Roma communities hesitant about vaccines?

The first is Roma’s collective experience of neglect. European governments have often ignored the please of Roma for access to basic public services including clean drinking water, healthcare and housing. The pandemic has brought this issue to the fore because such neglect has left Roma especially vulnerable to COVID19. It is almost impossible to stop the virus spreading in cramped houses and settlements that do not have decent access to water, electricity and sewage systems. Looking at these circumstances, it is evident why Roma may be suspicious of vaccines being offered by governments that have long been neglecting their basic rights.

Another reason for vaccine hesitancy is the history of mistreatment experienced at European health institutions. For example, Romani women in Europe have been subjected to forced sterilisations for over half a century. One survey of medical professionals conducted in North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Italy, Romania and Serbia found that 44% were biased against Roma. 38% of the medical professionals surveyed also said that they favoured the segregation of Roma patients in separate wards. The institutional discrimination in public healthcare has understandably made Roma reluctant to participate in vaccine drives.

https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2021/6/1/roma-mistrust-in-governments-is-an-obstacle-to-covid-19-recovery