There is a path to vaccine adoption

We are reaching what might be the most significant communication challenge of our lives, starting very soon.

The vaccines for COVID will begin arriving. So much hope has been pinned on these vaccines. Essentially, we are counting on a vaccinated populace so that we can be back to a normal life by mid-year in 2021.

Dr. Fauci says we need over 70% vaccination to return to normal. A Pew Research Study released recently says that 60% of the public is willing to get the shot.

There’s just so much you are working against. People already distrusted even vaccines that had long proven their effectiveness and safety. There is a perception that the COVID vaccines have been rushed. And, in fairness, while we can be sure from testing that people will not keel over when taking it, we legitimately have no way of knowing what the long-term effects are.

And then you have people who are young and strong who feel they don’t have to worry, and the “free riders” who figure if everyone else does it then they don’t need to.

It’s going to be tough.

A Guide from the University of Florida Shows the Way

The Center for Public Interest Communications at The University of Florida is out with a really solid guide to vaccine communications. I commend it to you in its totality, and I have already sent it to people I know who are facing this exact challenge, especially with public facing essential workers.

Here’s the key quote:

Our willingness to put a foreign substance into our bodies is highly dependent on trust.

On one hand, that should be obvious. On the other hand, I think we have downplayed it and tended to minimize/demonize people’s fears. It is reasonable to be concerned with the industry that told you it was safe to take Oxycontin for chronic pain tells you it’s safe to take this vaccine. It’s reasonable to trust the competence of the FDA that was under high political pressure to approve a vaccine in record time…especially when the effort is named “Warp Speed.”

Trust is at an historic low. People don’t trust their leaders (looking at you, Mayor of Austin), they don’t trust the medical establishment and they don’t trust Pharma—it’s the lowest ranked industry on trust ratings.

To be sure, research shows that things are moving in the right direction, but experience tell us that the people who are easy to persuade have already moved.

Some Highlights

The report articulates eight principles for the communication, which you can find in the document. I’m going to make a couple observations from what I read.

• All eight principles are audience-based. In fact, all effective communication is based on understanding an audience, and it’s never truer than when we’re asking them to trust us and put something into their body. We need to meet them where they are with respect…not bully or shame them.

• We have to address people based on how they see the world. If you need to know why only 42% of African-Americans intend to be vaccinated (as opposed to 60% of whites), then you need to study your history a little better.

• You need the right message, the right messenger and the right timing to make this work. Trusted messengers who are seen as having the right motivations are needed. (For example, when Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine wanted to introduce 12 difficult guidelines for Christmas, he had each one introduced by a physician or health care professional).

• The right messages are not going to include fear or shame. People are just not going to react to that. As the report says, “look to more constructive emotions like love, hope and the desire to protect to get people to act.”

Key Steps to Effective Coronavirus Vaccine Communications

We need a narrative. We need to tell the story of what (I believe) has been the Manhattan Project of public health. We need to hear from the people who did the work and we need to hear from people who were in the test samples. We need meaningful data stated in ways that matter to the concerns people have. We need to recognize why people are hesitant. We need concrete expectations and to provide real-time data as vaccination unfolds—and admit it when there are negative reactions, which is going to happen.

Then, we need to enlist real leaders at the community level to step up and take the vaccine, starting with the people who are recommending it most. (Still looking at you, Mayor of Austin). But it should also include people outside the power structure—pastors, non-profit leaders, business leaders, labor leaders.

I’m optimistic. As the guide indicates, though, we need to operate in the world where people live. When I was in Elementary School, we were given the Swine Flu vaccination. I don’t remember anyone declining. We lined up in the gym at Conneaut School and walked past a doctor who shot it into our arm.

We aren’t in that world, Toto.