How to convince people to take covid vaccines?
The last challenge anybody envisaged when covid 19 sent tremors across the world in 2020, was that there might be a vaccine someday and people would refuse it. But the drive of carefully devised propaganda can be quite effective in turning people as well as in terrifying them. In order for countries to go back to any semblance of normal it is important that herd immunity is achieved, and the simplest way to do this is by vaccinating the masses. How then, do you convince people to get vaccinated? People have strong opinions and distrust when it comes to the effectiveness of vaccines. A large number of people are of the opinion that if they wait it out, the disease just might leave them unaffected. However, the rapidly mutating strains of sars-cov-2 virus have different plans.
Different sections of the society rely on different forms of information, and sound scientific logic while could turn a few around, for a lot of people it might not be a satisfactory argument. Driving vaccine awareness campaigns, centred around the need to help other people, have had good success in changing people’s minds about the vaccine. People are less reluctant to trust new technology when they feel that the lives of their loved ones are on the line. Friends, neighbours, relatives, colleagues and acquaintances that have been subjected to the misfortune of covid-19, can influence people to reconsider their vaccine aversions.
The last challenge anybody envisaged when covid 19 sent tremors across the world in 2020, was that there might be a vaccine someday and people would refuse it.
In certain remote areas, where access to information and awareness are limited, people are prone to the belief system that this disease is a hoax. Targeted awareness campaigns and vaccine drives must be conducted in such areas so that people can be convinced to get vaccinated. Another important step is removal of viral misinformation from the internet. A lot of us fall prey to the viral written word. If it has gone viral, it must be legit! Governments must create mechanisms to systematically remove misinformation and exact strict consequences upon people responsible for spreading them. The pro vaccination populous also needs to be proactive and report misinformation whenever they encounter it.
If we have any hope of besting this disease, we need to be vigilant and on guard. We also need to ensure that we follow covid protocols and get vaccinated. Unemployment rates are higher than ever and consistently shooting up. Economies need to function normally again to provide people money for sustenance and also, in order to be able to manage hospital bills in the event of an infection. The second wave of covid was terrifying and ruined families by thousands, it is not wise to forget how dangerous this disease can become if left unchecked. Hopefully, we as a society can be convinced that the benefits of the vaccine far surpass any probable side effects. With the vaccine there is at least some hope, without it, we’re all on our own.