Changing the Conversation about COVID to Get More People Vaccinated
This article talks about the type of messaging that is most effective at changing minds about vaccination and how we can provide that messaging through discussion about long COVID-19.
How can we help stop the spread of COVID-19? The question isn’t so much about what we need to stop the spread, we know we need people to get vaccinated, wear masks, and practice social distance, but how do we convince people whose minds seem to be made up against doing any of these things?
The misinformation and political rhetoric have made this feel like an impossible task. We need our patients to listen to us, and we can feel defeated when they would rather believe a radio host than their health care providers. Giving up is not the answer. We need to change the way we speak about COVID-19 and the benefits of getting vaccinated.
The messaging everyone has heard over and over again has been about full hospitals and ICU’s. We have talked about overworked and exhausted healthcare providers and the danger for patients this creates. We have begged people to wear masks to stop the spread and protect their community. We have told the heartbreaking stories of people who are asking for the vaccine just before they are intubated, and of the COVID-19 deniers that reverse their stance when they become seriously ill. It baffles us that, with all this information, people continue to deny that COVID-19 is a problem, or refuse to follow public health guidelines. It’s not personal to them, it doesn’t affect them, and it’s not a problem until it becomes personal.
When we talk to our patients we need to make it personal. Research on messaging to increase COVID-19 vaccination rates found that emphasizing personal benefits of vaccination increased participants' intention to get vaccinated more than any other type of messaging1. One way we can make the message personal is by talking about the long-term consequences of COVID-19 infection. There is more than ICU’s, and ventilators to talk about with our patients. How many times have you heard someone say they don’t have to worry about COVID because they are young, or healthy? In the context of severe illness and hospitalization, they are probably right. The majority of people infected with COVID-19 experience mild illness.
Of course anyone can experience severe illness, but for younger people, people without pre-existing conditions the threat of hospitalization or death is not personal. We need to educate our patients about the long-term effects of COVID-19 on their personal health. A study completed by the University of Arizona Health Sciences found that 68% of patients with mild or moderate covid experienced long COVID, only slightly less than those hospitalized with COVID2. Long COVID or Post COVID is defined as experiencing one or more symptoms lasting four or more weeks3. The most commonly reported symptoms from the University of Arizona study were: fatigue, shortness of breath, brain fog, and stress or anxiety4.
The following is a list of the most common post-COVID symptoms5:
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
Tiredness or fatigue
Symptoms that get worse after physical or mental activities (also known as post-exertional malaise)
Difficulty thinking or concentrating (sometimes referred to as “brain fog”)
Cough
Chest or stomach pain
Headache
Fast-beating or pounding heart (also known as heart palpitations)
Joint or muscle pain
Pins-and-needles feeling
Diarrhea
Sleep problems
Fever
Dizziness on standing (lightheadedness)
Rash
Mood changes
Change in smell or taste
Changes in menstrual period cycles
While there are limitations to the data, it seems the prevalence of these symptoms is high and may affect a large number of people. It remains to be seen how long these symptoms may last and how COVID-19 infection may impact a person’s overall health. It is important for healthcare providers to relay this information to patients who may not know that COVID 19 may have a long-term impact on their health or cause disability. Perhaps then we can change some people’s minds about getting vaccinated to protect themselves from infection and the long-term consequences of that infection.
I was already preparing my reply in my head, until I got to the conspiracy theory at the end.
Not interested in legitimatisizing scare tactics.
Let's be honest, you are not interested in having a constructive conversation with someone who has an opinion different than yours. What part of my discussion is a "scare tactic". I provided references from various resources.
I believe manufacturers of any vaccine, not just Covid, are shielded from lawsuits over adverse reactions. Nothing new there. There is also a mechanism for payment in the event of a vaccine injury.
OK so if there is a mechanism for payment in the event of a vaccine injury then people should now about that. Doctors should have honest conversations with their patients regarding side effects, let the patients know that they are rare, and that there is a mechanism for payment in the event of a vaccine injury. I believe being honest and open with patients INSTEAD of belittling patients with "you can't fix stupid"-PMFB, keeping adverse reactions from the patients, and labeling people who discuss adverse reactions as "conspiracy theorist" is a good way to educate people, and increase vaccination rates. The reality is that people are not stupid and can detect when healthcare providers are not genuine and honest with them.
In regards to the vaccine payment mechanism, can you please provide a reference?
OK so if there is a mechanism for payment in the event of a vaccine injury then people should now about that. Doctors should have honest conversations with their patients regarding side effects, let the patients know that they are rare, and that there is a mechanism for payment in the event of a vaccine injury. I believe being honest and open with patients INSTEAD of belittling patients with "you can't fix stupid"-PMFB, keeping adverse reactions from the patients, and labeling people who discuss adverse reactions as "conspiracy theorist" is a good way to educate people, and increase vaccination rates. The reality is that people are not stupid and can detect when healthcare providers are not genuine and honest with them.
In regards to the vaccine payment mechanism, can you please provide a reference?
I’m going to throw a crazy idea out - try searching on the phrase you mention above. I’m thinking you just might find your answer on your own.
Don’t hold your breath. He flat out refused to look at information that would have placed his originally cited statistics in context. So much for honest discussion.
Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
3 hours ago, Sciencedude1 said:
Let's be honest, you are not interested in having a constructive conversation with someone who has an opinion different than yours. What part of my discussion is a "scare tactic". I provided references from various resources.
I've already learned that constructive conversations with your kind is impossible.
You outed yourself when you attempted to paint the wonderful and absolutely necessary immunity and legal liability enjoyed by the vaccine makers are something to be suspicious of and to scare people with.
Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
3 hours ago, Sciencedude1 said:
OK so if there is a mechanism for payment in the event of a vaccine injury then people should now about that. Doctors should have honest conversations with their patients regarding side effects, let the patients know that they are rare, and that there is a mechanism for payment in the event of a vaccine injury. I believe being honest and open with patients INSTEAD of belittling patients with "you can't fix stupid"-PMFB, keeping adverse reactions from the patients, and labeling people who discuss adverse reactions as "conspiracy theorist" is a good way to educate people, and increase vaccination rates.
What has proven to increase vaccination rates are vaccine mandates. I hope we have more of them.
A side benefit it that the mandates prevent the anti vax bullies from depriving us of our freedom and body autonomy as they have for the last 10+ months.
I fully understand that its uncomfortable for the bullies when we, their victims, start to hit back. But I don't care about their discomfort any more than they have cared about ours for the last year.
Specializes in OB, OB surgical tech, nursing education.
We certainly need to figure out how to impact people enough to get them to wake up. Even if they don’t get seriously ill, they can infect someone else who will. Nicely done.
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
On 10/31/2021 at 8:13 PM, PMFB-RN said:
Meh, we have been coerced and been deprived of choices and our autonomy for the last 10+ months by the anti vaxxers.
We have been bearing the brunt of the pandemic. The days of accommodating the unvaxxed are (thankfully) coming to and end.
We have been bearing the brunt of anti-vaxer decisions for years now. Look at the infections coming back like measles. I am sick and tired of these things coming back when they can be eradicated. I have loved ones who are immune compromised and too young to be vaccinated. What about THEIR autonomy? Oh that's right, it doesn't matter.
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
On 11/1/2021 at 7:23 PM, PMFB-RN said:
What has proven to increase vaccination rates are vaccine mandates. I hope we have more of them.
A side benefit it that the mandates prevent the anti vax bullies from depriving us of our freedom and body autonomy as they have for the last 10+ months.
I fully understand that its uncomfortable for the bullies when we, their victims, start to hit back. But I don't care about their discomfort any more than they have cared about ours for the last year.
Vaccine mandates have proven highly effective at getting large numbers of people vaccinated.
I'm sure the fear of being unemployed is VERY effective?.
What I don't get is after a person has decided not to take the vaccine and has lost their job, why are some still blaming them for the aftermath at the job they were fired from?
Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
6 hours ago, DesiDani said:
I'm sure the fear of being unemployed is VERY effective?.
What I don't get is after a person has decided not to take the vaccine and has lost their job, why are some still blaming them for the aftermath at the job they were fired from?
Like what...like the remaining nurses being irritated that their qualified and skilled coworker chose to lose their job rather than vaccinate...which leaves them shorter staffed than before? If that's what you are wondering about I'll wonder why that matters. Those tired and overworked staff have a right to their feelings too, their feelings are just the result of the fired staff's feelings about vaccines. Those nurses don't have to adjust their emotional responses out of deference for the emotional state of the unvaccinated. The unvaccinated certainly didn't consider the coworkers (or patients)when refusing to vaccinate.
Sciencedude1, BSN, RN
211 Posts
Let's be honest, you are not interested in having a constructive conversation with someone who has an opinion different than yours. What part of my discussion is a "scare tactic". I provided references from various resources.