Overcoming Vaccine Hesitancy

THE EDITORIAL BOARD

The Blade

Authorities desperate to convince more people to get vaccinated for the coronavirus have tried everything from advertising campaigns, celebrity endorsements, incentives, and even mandates. But one local vaccine-advocacy group has tried something new that seems to hold great promise in figuring out how to persuade holdouts to finally get the vaccine: They asked them what it would take to change their minds.

The results of the VProject’s recent survey show that while vaccine-hesitant people don’t trust religious leaders, news reporters, even the U.S. Surgeon General or county health departments, they do trust their doctors.

Now, VProject officials hope to use that insight to focus their efforts to get at least 70 percent of local people vaccinated.

In Lucas County, only 54 percent of people have received at least one vaccine dose. Wood County’s vaccination rate is only marginally better at 57 percent. These mirror Ohio’s statewide vaccination rate, which is only 55 percent.

Those rates are concerning because they are below the 75-80 percent rate that authorities believe will be necessary to achieve the herd immunity that can stall the spread of the virus. Nationwide only about 66 percent of people have received at least one dose of vaccine.

And, of course, doctors have been on the forefront of the campaign to get people here and across the country to do the things that can help protect their patients individually and our society as a whole: wear masks, practice social distancing, and get vaccinated. Now, it seems, we can see just how much weight their words carry.

We have seen that many of our other persuasive tactics — from cajoling to offering lucrative incentives — have delivered diminishing returns in boosting the local vaccination rate. Thanks to the insights from the VProject’s survey, local officials should be able to craft better plans to recruit and empower physicians to reach out to their patients and offer the solid, trustworthy evidence that can overcome hesitancy and skepticism.

This is a wise and welcome approach to boosting our local vaccination rates. The VProject’s strategy will benefit our entire community.

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Reprinted courtesy of The Toledo Blade.