You are hereby cordially invited to the MSc thesis presentation by Monika Cosma on ‘Romania's COVID-19 Vaccination Policy Evaluation: Process, Programme, and Politics’.
Supervisor: Sylvia Karlsson-Vinkhuyzen
Examinor: Robbert Biesbroek
Date: 1.6.2023
Time: 10-11.00 hours CET
Location: online, MS Teams link: Click here to join the meeting
Full title: Romania's COVID-19 Vaccination Policy Evaluation: Process, Programme, and Politics
ABSTRACT:
This dissertation is a policy evaluation of Romania's vaccination campaign during the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective was to conduct an in-depth assessment of the campaign through three different policy dimensions: process, programme, and politics. The study used a mixed-methods approach, consisting of semi-structured interviews with four key informants and a review of articles published in two different news outlets. The findings suggest that although certain aspects of the vaccination campaign were efficient, the policy did not achieve its intended objectives. Especially in the light of the high mortality and low vaccination rate during the pandemic, the Romanian vaccination campaign cannot be considered a success. The study highlights the need for placing the policy in a bigger context and understanding the social mechanisms at play rather than only focusing on the numbers exposed by the pandemic. These findings have implications for policymakers and suggest that a more targeted, specific, and measurable approach is needed to improve the effectiveness of vaccination campaigns. Additional recommendations include increasing transparency and accountability of authorities, more proactive stakeholder engagement, focus on inclusivity, and a communication strategy tailored to the target audience.
Keywords: public policy, COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination, Romania