5 Tips for Talking to Vaccine-Hesitant Loved Ones Right Now

In the United States COVID-19 vaccines have now been widely available to adults for two months. While other countries are scrambling for vaccines to protect their health care workers and vulnerable populations, many states in the U.S. have implemented vaccine lotteries or other incentives to improve vaccine uptake, and President Biden announced a goal of having at least 70% of Americans even partially vaccinated by July 4—something that is looking highly unlikely. As cases of the Delta variant increase and mitigation strategies (such as mask mandates) fall away, the pandemic has moved into a new stage, with the vast majority of new cases occurring in the unvaccinated population.

All of this brings much angst for vaccinated individuals with unvaccinated loved ones, not to mention people with compromised immune systems whose level of protection from the vaccines remains uncertain. While the majority of fully vaccinated folks are at low risk of infection and serious disease, many of us have friends, relatives, coworkers, and more who remain at risk. The introduction of a series of variants that are more transmissible and possibly more serious add urgency to the challenge to vaccinate more people.

But how do you talk to the people in your circle who are choosing not to get vaccinated? Here are a few pointers for discussing vaccination in a way that preserves your relationships while, ideally, helping them decide that getting vaccinated is the safest choice for them—and those around them—after all.

1. Lead from a place of emotional connection.

No matter how many scientific facts you know, studies you could cite, or reputable news stories you can link, “you need to connect emotionally with the person before you present any facts,” Nadine Gartner, the founding executive director of Boost Oregon, a nonprofit organization that empowers people to make science-based vaccine decisions, tells SELF. “Make sure that they trust you and know that you have their best interests at heart,” which you may want to explicitly state at the start of the conversation.

Karen Ernst, director of Voices for Vaccines, cautions that, when it comes to health decisions, “we make them based on our values and oftentimes prompted by emotions.” Because of this, if you’re considering a conversation on this topic, it’s important to meet your loved one in that space and be understanding.

Another key is determining the specific concerns they may have and the origin of those concerns, notes Obianuju Genevieve Aguolu, MBBS, MPH, Ph.D., a postdoctoral associate at the Yale School of Medicine whose research investigates vaccine hesitancy. Don’t simply make assumptions about what they may believe about vaccines; fears and concerns vary widely. For instance, don’t jump into debunking the false idea that “vaccines make you magnetic” without knowing whether this is truly something the person is worried about.

2. Put empathy front and center.

All the experts I spoke with emphasized that listening with empathy is key. Don’t make it all about you. Dr. Aguolu suggests using open-ended questions to find out more about their vaccine worries. “It is important not to be judgmental or argumentative,” she says. Instead, focus on gathering information. “When you listen carefully to your loved ones, you are likely to identify their concerns and salient beliefs—the whys that matter to them regarding vaccination.”

Try to view the discussion as a partnership. “When we have a thorough understanding of their concerns, we can search for answers with them and build on what they already know in a way that will bolster their confidence in vaccines and their desire to be vaccinated,” says Ernst.

3. Consider using “the four r’s” in your conversation.

Gartner relies on the four r’s to guide her discussions: receive, repeat, respond, and refer. That is, receive information from them by asking questions; repeat that information back to them to validate their concerns and affirm you are listening; respond by asking if you can share some information with them (“This makes them active participants and not feeling like you are talking down to them”); and, if they say yes, answer their concerns with respect (such as, “I can understand why that would sound scary”) and referrals to evidence-based information.

https://www.self.com/story/unvaccinated-loved-ones-coronavirus-conversations, GO TO SAUBIO DIGITAL FOR MORE ANSWERS AND INFORMATION ON ANY TOPIC

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