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Health Awareness:

Addressing COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy

January 11, 2021 Barb Goergen Category: Blog, News & Blog, January Newsletter 2021Tags: COVID-19, vaccine, anti-vaccine

Addressing COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy

The good news that two vaccines for COVID-19 are now available has been tempered by the fact that a significant percentage of Americans are reluctant to be vaccinated. According to a December survey from the Pew Research Center, nearly 40% of Americans say they will definitely not or probably not get the COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available to them.

Hospitals are a trusted source of information and will play an important role in messaging about the safety and importance of COVID-19 vaccines.

Why are People Hesitant to Receive Covid-19 Vaccinations?

COVID-19 vaccines have been developed so quickly that many people don’t want to be “guinea pigs” for a new technology. Other factors that contribute to reluctance include:

  • Skepticism about the vaccine development process
  • Less personal concern about getting a serious case of COVID-19
  • Doubts about vaccine safety and effectiveness
  • Concern about financial resources or health insurance

Determine the Best Ways to Reach Your Target Audiences

Early COVID-19 vaccinations are available for health professionals and elderly people living in care settings. As such, they will soon be rolled out to larger numbers of people in high-risk groups and eventually the general public. Here are some suggestions for messaging:

  • Use a multi-channel approach, especially when the general public starts to receive vaccinations.
  • Distribute information on social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube); videos and podcasts are effective ways to provide vaccination information.
  • Provide live sessions and virtual community town hall events to connect leadership, clinicians and experts to a wide audience.
  • Create microsites to provide up-to-the-minute information.
  • Utilize lower-tech communication channels (e.g., walking rounds and face-to-face talks with staff, printed materials).
  • Use internal and external experts and influencers to deliver vaccine information.

Provide Simple Calls-to-Action for COVID-19 Vaccinations

The deBeaumont Foundation and the American Public Health Association recommend a careful balance of messaging educating the public about the necessity for universal COVID-19 vaccine coverage while avoiding any suggestion of coercion.

Here are some examples of simple messages:

  • It is effective – Getting the vaccine will keep you and your family healthy.
  • It is important – We need to get back to normal and reopen the economy.
  • It is safe – Every study, every phase, and every trial was reviewed by the FDA and a review board.

It is also important to tailor the messages to your audiences (e.g., elderly, high-risk, or general population). Medicom Health is rolling out a new feature to allow you to create emails targeted to different groups at risk for COVID-19 taking your assessments on your website. You will be able to craft messages about the where and how to receive COVID-19 vaccinations based on age and other characteristics. For more information contact our Client Support Team.

Also be sure to read our COVID-19 follow-up strategy guide: Promote COVID Vaccinations via HRA Results to All or Only At-Risk Patients

COVID-19 Vaccination Resources

There are excellent resources available to help you develop your COVID-19 vaccination messaging strategy:

AHA (American Hospital Association)

Covid-19 Vaccine Toolkit

CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

COVID-19 Vaccination Communication Toolkit

COVID-19 Vaccination Information for You and Your Family

COVID-19 Vaccination Information for Healthcare Professionals

WHO (World Health Organization)

Vaccine Safety Communication

Barb Goergen

Co-founder

Barb Goergen is one of the co-founders of Medicom Health. She oversees all research and health information activities of program development, assuring scientific accuracy and health literacy of content. Barb has over 30 years of experience developing medical and health education programs. Barb is also President and founding member of the Minnesota chapter of Achievement Rewards for College Scientists. She has a B.S. degree from the University of Michigan.

More by Barb Goergen

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