Approaching the unvaccinated: local voices and pursuasion, not shaming --two items

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Sun, 2021-08-15 21:38 — mike kraft

Why A Hard-Sell Pitch For COVID Vaccines Won't Work In This Rural Illinois Town The sponsor of 4-H clubs nationally is tapping its respected roots in rural communities to promote COVID-19 vaccines. But it won't be easy, locals say. Start with trusted local voices — and listen. NPR.org

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Only 16% of residents here in Alexander County (Illinois) are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. That's the lowest rate in Illinois, according to the state health department, and case counts of coronavirus infections are rising. So the Cooperative Extension System, which is tied to a network of land-grant universities, plans to spend the next two years talking about vaccines in this community and elsewhere across the U.S. It may take that long or more to convince enough people to get vaccinated.

The extension system has a long tradition of bringing research-based information to communities on a wide variety of topics, including water quality, food safety and disaster preparedness. With its roots sunk deep in rural America, where vaccines have been slow to catch on, the system is now using state and federal funding to pay for immunization education efforts tailored to specific communities.

Already 4-H clubs have been making masks and face shields. In Illinois, the agency has a COVID-19 resource guide for families, business owners and farmers. The office covering the southern portion of the state is now looking to hire someone in the community to help get out the word on why vaccinations matter. Johnson also wants to team up with local churches, civic groups and business owners to get the job done.

Why only a nuanced vaccine strategy will be persuasive

"This is not our first global pandemic," said Carissa Nelson, a spokesperson for 4-H programs in Illinois. The organization's agents and club members nursed patients during the 1918 flu pandemic that devastated the world.

This time around, the extension service's strategy could also help in these rural communities and the urban areas it serves. But local leaders say there's no quick solution for improving vaccination rates in Cairo or across the country; getting people vaccinated is a nuanced challenge in every community. In Cairo, a long history of racial tension dating to the Civil War still stings. Like many rural towns across the U.S., the community also feels underappreciated and misunderstood....

ALSO SEE: Rep Scalise (R-LA) warns shaming won't help boost vaccinations