Church, grandkids, even doughnuts: Let’s talk about rewards of getting COVID vaccine

More than two weeks after the end of Texas’ mask mandate, the COVID-19 sky has not fallen.

Caseloads continue to tick down, though the rate of decrease has slowed. Hospitalizations statewide are also dropping, though public-health officials here see signs for concern.

The positive news is a testament to Texans’ good sense. When Gov. Greg Abbott ended the mask requirement — too early, in our view — some, of course, immediately discarded masks. But many businesses continue to require them, and many Texans are remaining vigilant about covering up and distancing.

So far, so good. Now, with Texas opening vaccinations to all adults beginning Monday, let’s see that wise judgment put to use to truly end the pandemic by embracing inoculation. We need a smart, steady campaign to persuade people that getting the shot is in their best interest.

The supply of vaccines to Tarrant County is still a trickle, but all indications are that more will be available soon. The challenge on the way to herd immunity may be overcoming “vaccine hesitancy.”

National health officials’ initial guidance on what vaccinated people can do has impeded progress. Caution is appropriate until we know whether the immune can still transmit the disease. But the clear and sustained message must be: Vaccination is the key to normalcy. Your reward for getting inoculated is a return to church, stress-free shopping, live music and sports, and vacations.

“Individuals have shared that they want to get back to their lives, spend time with families, go out to dinners with their friends, not have to feel so guarded when they go outside the house,” said Dr. Sylvia Trent-Adams of the UNT Health Science Center, which is coordinating Tarrant County’s vaccination efforts.

Also important, she said, is that getting vaccinated gives people a way to counter the feeling of helplessness in the face of the pandemic.

“It gives them confidence they’ve done something around COVID, that they’ve done something to help,” said Trent-Adams, the center’s senior vice president and chief strategy officer. “ ‘This is something that I can do.’ ”

In any vaccination campaign, about a third of people are “early adapters” and about a third simply don’t want the shot, she said. The key is to reach the remaining third who choose to wait and see how it goes.

The reasons people decline or delay the shot vary widely. Some in minority communities doubt healthcare institutions, grounded in past abuses. Others are skeptical about the vaccines’ relatively quick development. Some have concerns about their own health and possible adverse reactions, and we encourage them to first talk to their own doctors.

Vaccination isn’t right for every single person. But it is for most.

The UNT Health Science Center is working to find trusted messengers to address various reasons for vaccine hesitancy, developing myth-busting fliers in several languages. Trent-Adams said that many vaccine skeptics want someone to hear their concerns and answer their questions.

“We have to make sure we’re providing people with information that can give them confidence and understanding in the vaccine but also approach them in a way that is respectful of their views and values,” she said.

In minority communities with a history of mistreatment by healthcare providers, cultural competence is a must. It helps to have “providers who look like the communities they serve” and speak their language.

As we’ve noted, some political conservatives are among the skeptical. Elected officials and activists on the right should encourage their followers to get the vaccine; after all, it will hasten the day when, as many see it, liberties are no longer infringed in the name of vaccine safety.

In this local campaign season, candidates should be touting the benefits of vaccination, too.

Then, there’s the business world. Employers may understandably hesitate to require workers to get the vaccine, but they can send the right message by promoting it and offering paid time for employees to get vaccinated. There are marketing efforts, too: Krispy Kreme is offering a free doughnut to anyone who shows a vaccination card. Imagine if popular products and their celebrity endorsements spread the word about vaccination, too.

For individuals, registration and vaccination is getting easier. Next week, all Texas adults are eligible for shots. You can sign up by phone (817-248-6299) or online, and in-person events are scheduled in the coming weeks.

The sooner you do, the sooner we all get back to normal.

This story was originally published March 26, 2021 at 5:04 AM.