Read on Twitter
Vaccine 
.
I’m hearing many people (patients, friends, social media) say they won’t take the #Covid19aus vaccine until they ‘wait a bit’ and it is ‘fully tested’ (direct quotes).
But when I ask what these phrases mean to them, they are a bit vague.
I think I understand.
. I’m hearing many people (patients, friends, social media) say they won’t take the #Covid19aus vaccine until they ‘wait a bit’ and it is ‘fully tested’ (direct quotes).
But when I ask what these phrases mean to them, they are a bit vague.
I think I understand.
In my experience, most of these people are not anti-Vaxxers in the least. Many factors are at play. A powerful one is the reversal in narrative, from ‘it could take years for a vaccine’ to, 7 months, ‘here are three!’.
It is jarring.
Many other factors of course.
It is jarring.
Many other factors of course.
People are cautious. And I think most people will take the vaccine not necessarily after they ‘wait a bit’ or vaccine is ‘fully tested’, but when they feel they can broadly trust the process. I.e. despite whatever mental checklists people claim to judge the vaccine by,
.. in the end they will turn to the voices they trust to evaluate the process. High uptake will hinge on honest and effective communication from experts and trusted figures. Healthcare workers, experts, politicians - including opposition parties! @timsmithmp has a part to play!
Needless to say, for us to have this trust, health authorities/leaders/regulators/practitioners must uphold strict standards. I have confidence we will. The point is that we must broadcast these efforts for all to see and hear.
Promoting a safe/effective vaccine will also require us to listen to people’s questions, and to answer them simply and honestly.
Influential people, esp community leaders from at-risk groups, must be engaged on how best to push the message about vaccination locally.
Influential people, esp community leaders from at-risk groups, must be engaged on how best to push the message about vaccination locally.
No doubt, we will see unwarranted skepticism against the vaccine. I can only hope media will not provide platforms to the usual suspects at this critical time. I hope social media sites will do more to stop misinformation.
Still, we are likely to see more of this problem.
Still, we are likely to see more of this problem.
Opinion: In my experience there is no cookie cutter approach to persuading those who are sitting on the fence.
> Sharing facts, innoculating against misinformation is critical.
> Understanding why they don’t agree +what underlying beliefs inform this skepticism is very useful
> Sharing facts, innoculating against misinformation is critical.
> Understanding why they don’t agree +what underlying beliefs inform this skepticism is very useful
> Empathy/compassion can disarm people, engage them in a conv they might not have had. But also...
> humour/satire can be a powerful tools to dismantle false concepts about health. Wittily demonstrating contradictions and implausibility of bad ideas can be very memorable. I think this is an underestimated approach.
> Persuading people away from deeply held, emotive beliefs almost never happens mid-conversation. People go away, think, and change their minds after multiple confrontations with the truth.
It happens in private moments- rarely is the precise moment of belief change a public one
It happens in private moments- rarely is the precise moment of belief change a public one
So I think its important to be patient, and not be heavy handed in every interaction. In any case, I...
Got a bit off topic. Point is, I have confidence that the process of vaccination approval/delivery in Aus will be done safely and effectively. We just need to communicate our rigour, take concerns seriously, especially from people who need the vaccines first, and most. End
