STRATEGIES TO INCREASE VACCINATION RATES IN HESITANT POPULATIONS

Vaccinations are our strongest defense against a number of diseases. Regular immunization can help save about 4 million lives annually and significantly reduce child immortality rate. According to the WHO, as of now, vaccines are available for 29 different types of diseases, including cholera, hepatitis, dengue, etc. 

The most recent addition to this list is the Covid-19 vaccine, developed in response to the pandemic that has cost millions of lives over the past couple of years. While vaccinations are effective at stopping disease spread, many people are still hesitant to get vaccinated. 

Owing to this, vaccination rates are still relatively low in many of the countries, but hitting vaccination targets is now more crucial, since vaccination is the only defense against the spread of Covid-19. 

Some strategies to increase vaccination rates are discussed below:

1. Remove Practical Barriers

One of the most significant barriers in getting vaccinated is not having access to it. Many of the underdeveloped countries still don’t have access to basic healthcare facilities. This means that these countries don’t have the wherewithal to procure highly in-demand vaccinations. 

On the other hand, there are complications faced in accessing the programs that give out the shots. Due to the complex processes, vaccine shortages, or travel restrictions, many people avoid getting vaccinated.

2. Educate the Masses

Another significant obstacle in getting people vaccinated is the abundance of misinformation. Various conspiracy theories are to be blamed for this. The responsibility for dispelling such unfounded opinions around vaccines falls on the healthcare departments who need to relay positive and accurate information to the public. 

This necessitates the need to have educated professionals in public health, credentialed in MPH degree program, to educate the masses and dispel unfounded myths about vaccinations. 

3. Present Vaccination as a Social Norm

Even in 2022, vaccinations are not considered a socially acceptable health activity worldwide. There are countries where people still refrain from getting their children vaccinated for a variety of diseases. 

According to an estimate, about 13 million children receive no vaccinations at all every year. Owing to such practices, some diseases, like Polio, are endemic in some countries while completely eradicated in others.

In order to change this mindset, health departments need to present vaccinations as a social norm. Many people tend to do what they think is socially acceptable. So, if vaccines are presented and reinforced as a widely accepted health activity worldwide, the vaccination rates will likely increase.

4. Launch Informational Campaigns

Disinformation and the existence of unfounded theories also affect vaccination rates. People who believe in myths and conjectures tend to avoid getting vaccinated. Health departments should actively try to eradicate false notions circulating within a community. 

In order to do that, informational campaigns should be launched in conjunction with vaccination drives. When people have access to authentic information from reliable sources, they are more likely to get vaccinated. 

Most governments are running active informational campaigns on news channels and social media platforms. However, most people don’t pay attention to such pieces of information and discard them as white noise. 

Health departments should collaborate with various workplaces where they should send qualified personnel to impart essential information about vaccine efficacy. Workplace management should ensure that everyone attends these seminars and encourage the employees to engage.

5. Follow Others’ Example

When educating the masses, we should gather data from different countries. This data should be used to show the population how vaccines can benefit them. Similarly, data taken from countries with lower vaccination rates should be shown to drive home the point that how when vaccination rates are low mortalities shoot up. These data-driven studies can help the masses understand the importance of vaccines, and their chance of getting vaccinated will significantly improve.

6. Offer Incentives

Sometimes limited resources, travel restrictions, or inability to take time off work can all become barriers toward mass vaccinations. In order to facilitate people in this regard, hospitals or healthcare centers can collaborate with workspaces to vaccinate their employees on-site. 

Moreover, employers can also offer some type of incentive, monetary or otherwise, to their employees for getting vaccinated. For instance, if an employee provides proof of vaccination, they can be given paid time off. 

Similarly, companies can also provide employees with monetary compensation for their travel expenses to reach the vaccination center. If employers financially cater to employees for getting vaccinated, the vaccination rates can significantly rise.

7. Consider Digital Marketing Techniques

Today’s world is much more digitized. People are constantly on the social media, and nearly everything has shifted online, especially since Covid-19. As a result of this significant shift, almost all the big brands and companies have taken their marketing online. 

We still see billboards and brochures about discounts and new offers, and online ads are our primary medium of getting such information. So, when everything else is being advertised online, why can’t a social media campaign, targeting vaccine hesitant population, advertise the need for mass vaccinations? 

According to studies, human beings are more likely to accept something that is considered normal on the digital media. It may take time, but we can get a positive response by using digital marketing techniques for vaccine awareness with effective audience targeting.

8. Drop a Text

Some people needed to be prodded just a little more than normal. Owing to hectic routines and busy schedules, many people keep on postponing their vaccinations. Less a case of hesitancy and more owing to lifestyle habits or work pressures, these can be remediated with the help of employers and a generally more targeted campaign. 

By constantly reminding these people of their need to get vaccinated, there is a greater likelihood that they might eventually take the leap of faith and get the jab. One of the most successful ways of doing this is by sending them reminder texts every day. 

People who are reminded that they still haven’t been vaccinated are more likely to go and get their shot than those who don’t. A text makes the communication more personal and might elicit a favorable response. 

The Bottom Line

Vaccinations are essential and currently our only substantial defense against the Covid-19. However, due to hesitant populations, the vaccination rates are still low in a number of countries, especially in the underdeveloped ones. While the causes of population hesitance may vary, governments, healthcare facilities, and organizations can collaborate on a grand level to convince the masses to get vaccinated. For this purpose, they can hire people with specialized education in public health and encourage them to guide others. Moreover, they should try to accommodate people financially if monetary issues are a barrier. With practical strategies for guides, the vaccination rates can increase.