1/ Last night, I had the honor of joining @AnneZinkMD, @DrLeanaWen, @RepKarenBass, Rep @MillerMeeks, Rep @DHarshbargerTN1, @FrankLuntz, and @deBeaumontFndtn's @BrianCCastrucci, and ~20 young women from around the US in a focus group about COVID vaccination. We learned a lot.
2/ We came into the conversation thinking that many of their concerns would revolve around women's health issues (e.g. fertility, pregnancy, breastfeeding, menstruation). At least two of the women were pregnant.
3a/ But their biggest concerns were no different from many other groups:
- How could the vaccines have been developed this quickly?
- What are the long-term side-effects?
- Are the vaccines safe and effective in people who have underlying medical conditions like me?
- How could the vaccines have been developed this quickly?
- What are the long-term side-effects?
- Are the vaccines safe and effective in people who have underlying medical conditions like me?
3b/
- What’s the rush to get vaccinated? Why not wait until we’ve had more time to study the vaccines and see what long-term side effects they might cause?
- Will I need a yearly booster?
- How is this a long-term solution to COVID if I might need booster shots?
- What’s the rush to get vaccinated? Why not wait until we’ve had more time to study the vaccines and see what long-term side effects they might cause?
- Will I need a yearly booster?
- How is this a long-term solution to COVID if I might need booster shots?
3c/
- Why did the government & pharmaceutical companies spend so much $ to expedite the development & manufacturing of COVID vaccines? But they haven’t done so for other diseases?
GREAT QUESTION. Having worked in TB/HIV for much of my career, I have strong opinions about this.
- Why did the government & pharmaceutical companies spend so much $ to expedite the development & manufacturing of COVID vaccines? But they haven’t done so for other diseases?
GREAT QUESTION. Having worked in TB/HIV for much of my career, I have strong opinions about this.
3d/
- I don’t want to be told by the government what to do.
This included a woman of color serving in the military.
Harriet Washington’s Carte Blanche is an informative read here: globalreports.columbia.edu/books/carte-bl….
- I don’t want to be told by the government what to do.
This included a woman of color serving in the military.
Harriet Washington’s Carte Blanche is an informative read here: globalreports.columbia.edu/books/carte-bl….
3e/
- I don’t want the government using vaccination programs to collect information about me.
- The threat of mandated vaccination makes me more reluctant to get vaccinated.
- I don’t want the government using vaccination programs to collect information about me.
- The threat of mandated vaccination makes me more reluctant to get vaccinated.
4/ At least in some cases, the language used in expressing these concerns seemed to be parroting misinformation circulating on social media and other outlets.
It’s VERY hard to DEBUNK misinformation once it's out there.
It’s VERY hard to DEBUNK misinformation once it's out there.
5/ We need to do more to take down misinformation.
Listen here to learn more: justhumanproductions.org/podcasts/s1e74…
And we need to do more to educate the five main techniques of disinformation-ists.
Listen here to learn more: justhumanproductions.org/podcasts/epide…
Listen here to learn more: justhumanproductions.org/podcasts/s1e74…
And we need to do more to educate the five main techniques of disinformation-ists.
Listen here to learn more: justhumanproductions.org/podcasts/epide…
6a/ What are the five main techniques of disinformation-ists?
1: FAKE EXPERTS: a doctor who’s not an expert on the topic
2: LOGICAL FALLACIES: e.g. false equivalence
New Zealand has eliminated COVID without vaccination, so why do we need vaccines?
1: FAKE EXPERTS: a doctor who’s not an expert on the topic
2: LOGICAL FALLACIES: e.g. false equivalence
New Zealand has eliminated COVID without vaccination, so why do we need vaccines?
6b/ What are the five main techniques of disinformation-ists?
3: IMPOSSIBLE EXPECTATIONS: e.g. expecting vaccines to be PERFECT, 100% safe and effective, which we don’t expect of much of anything else
3: IMPOSSIBLE EXPECTATIONS: e.g. expecting vaccines to be PERFECT, 100% safe and effective, which we don’t expect of much of anything else
6c/ What are the five main techniques of disinformation-ists?
4: CHERRY-PICKING: Just because A comes before B doesn’t mean A caused B. B might've happened no matter what.
Some people are going to have a stroke today. The breakfast they ate this AM didn't cause the stroke.
4: CHERRY-PICKING: Just because A comes before B doesn’t mean A caused B. B might've happened no matter what.
Some people are going to have a stroke today. The breakfast they ate this AM didn't cause the stroke.
6d/ What are the five main techniques of disinformation-ists?
5: CONSPIRACY THEORIES:e.g. vaccines are being used to track personal data
No, THIS 👇🏾does that:
5: CONSPIRACY THEORIES:e.g. vaccines are being used to track personal data
No, THIS 👇🏾does that:
7/ They were more afraid of COVID vaccines than of COVID.
To them, COVID is a known threat. Some had had COVID. Some had lost family to COVID.
COVID vaccination was an unknown threat and so therefore scarier.
To them, COVID is a known threat. Some had had COVID. Some had lost family to COVID.
COVID vaccination was an unknown threat and so therefore scarier.
8/ They said they would trust SCIENTISTS over doctors because they said that scientists develop vaccines.
They were more like to trust PHARMACISTS than doctors because they said it was the job of pharmacists to track pharmaceutical products.
Not sure what they think doctors do?
They were more like to trust PHARMACISTS than doctors because they said it was the job of pharmacists to track pharmaceutical products.
Not sure what they think doctors do?
9/ Only ~2 had primary care providers.
~25% of Americans do NOT have a primary care provider.
A couple said that doctors are just in it for the money and don’t really care about them.
~25% of Americans do NOT have a primary care provider.
A couple said that doctors are just in it for the money and don’t really care about them.
10/ I wonder if pharmacists seem more trustworthy because they’re more accessible and they have more frequent contact with them?
11/ Only a couple had talked to a doctor OR a pharmacist about COVID vaccines.
A KEY TAKEAWAY is that we need to do a better job of plugging our young people in with primary care providers who they can get to know and learn to trust.
A KEY TAKEAWAY is that we need to do a better job of plugging our young people in with primary care providers who they can get to know and learn to trust.
12/ Many said they “need more information” to make a decision about getting vaccinated.
But few asked Qs of us. I’m not entirely sure why.
Maybe they didn’t want to share personal information with the group? Or were afraid they’d be judged for asking a “stupid question”?
But few asked Qs of us. I’m not entirely sure why.
Maybe they didn’t want to share personal information with the group? Or were afraid they’d be judged for asking a “stupid question”?
13/ What information we provided, they said they’d heard before.
I think saying “I need more information” is also a polite way of saying “I don’t want to get vaccinated.”
I think saying “I need more information” is also a polite way of saying “I don’t want to get vaccinated.”
14/ Not having to wear a mask was NOT an incentive to get vaccinated.
One woman said that she didn't mind masking and socially distance indefinitely.
Several felt that they had CONTROL over mitigation measures like masking & social distancing but not over COVID vaccines.
One woman said that she didn't mind masking and socially distance indefinitely.
Several felt that they had CONTROL over mitigation measures like masking & social distancing but not over COVID vaccines.
15/ They said that whether their peers were getting vaccinated didn’t really sway them.
The freedom to travel seemed to be the STRONGEST incentive to get vaccinated.
The freedom to travel seemed to be the STRONGEST incentive to get vaccinated.
16/ At least one woman said that she planned to eventually get vaccinated to travel, but that it just wasn’t worth it to her to leave home to seek it out.
What if we brought vaccination to every apartment building?
What if we brought vaccination to every apartment building?
17/ We need to do a better job of explaining:
- How common long COVID is, even after an asymptomatic/mild infection
- In many people, long COVID resolves after vaccination
- How SARS-CoV-2 mutates, what this means for the emergence of variants, & what this means for boosters
- How common long COVID is, even after an asymptomatic/mild infection
- In many people, long COVID resolves after vaccination
- How SARS-CoV-2 mutates, what this means for the emergence of variants, & what this means for boosters
18/ I think that vaccine confidence-building isn’t just about crafting the right message.
I think for some people, you really need to have a 1-on-1 conversation. They get to feel heard. They get to ask all of their questions. And they get to do so in private.
I think for some people, you really need to have a 1-on-1 conversation. They get to feel heard. They get to ask all of their questions. And they get to do so in private.
19/ I would start by asking about their experience over the past year, who/what they may have lost, what their lives are like now, & what they’re worried about now. Then would I ask them what they'd heard about COVID vaccines. Then I would ask them if I could give them more info.
20a / To address some of their specific concerns:
- How were the vaccines developed so fast?
We were LUCKY that scientists had been working on mRNA vaccines (including vs SARS & MERS) since the '90s & virus vector vaccines since the '70s. They just had to tailor those for COVID.
- How were the vaccines developed so fast?
We were LUCKY that scientists had been working on mRNA vaccines (including vs SARS & MERS) since the '90s & virus vector vaccines since the '70s. They just had to tailor those for COVID.
20b/ To address some of their specific concerns:
- What are the long-term side effects?
To get FDA emergency authorization, the pharma companies had to submit a minimum of 8 weeks of safety data.
Side effects with other vaccines occur within 8 weeks.
- What are the long-term side effects?
To get FDA emergency authorization, the pharma companies had to submit a minimum of 8 weeks of safety data.
Side effects with other vaccines occur within 8 weeks.
20c/ To address some of their specific concerns:
- What are the long-term side effects?
We CANNOT tell you with 100% certainty that the risk of long-term side effects is zero (see 6b/ IMPOSSIBLE EXPECTATIONS in 🧵).
- What are the long-term side effects?
We CANNOT tell you with 100% certainty that the risk of long-term side effects is zero (see 6b/ IMPOSSIBLE EXPECTATIONS in 🧵).
20d/ To address some of their specific concerns:
- What are the long-term side effects?
We CAN tell you with 100% certainty that there are VERY REAL risks of severe disease and death from COVID.
- What are the long-term side effects?
We CAN tell you with 100% certainty that there are VERY REAL risks of severe disease and death from COVID.
20e/ To address some of their specific concerns:
- Are the vaccines safe & effective in people like me?
Pfizer/Moderna/J&J vaccines are safe & effective in all racial/ethnic groups, age groups, sexes, & people with underlying medical conditions.
- Are the vaccines safe & effective in people like me?
Pfizer/Moderna/J&J vaccines are safe & effective in all racial/ethnic groups, age groups, sexes, & people with underlying medical conditions.
20f/ To address some of their specific concerns:
- What’s the rush to get vaxx? Why not wait until we’ve had more time to study the vaxx and see what long-term side effects they might cause?
In the meantime, you could get COVID. There are VERY REAL, KNOWN risks of getting COVID.
- What’s the rush to get vaxx? Why not wait until we’ve had more time to study the vaxx and see what long-term side effects they might cause?
In the meantime, you could get COVID. There are VERY REAL, KNOWN risks of getting COVID.
20g/ To address some of their specific concerns:
- Will I need a yearly booster?
SARS-CoV-2 is NOT the flu. These are VERY different viruses that mutate VERY differently.
We will likely need booster shots, but it's unlikely we'll need yearly booster shots indefinitely.
- Will I need a yearly booster?
SARS-CoV-2 is NOT the flu. These are VERY different viruses that mutate VERY differently.
We will likely need booster shots, but it's unlikely we'll need yearly booster shots indefinitely.
20h/ To address some of their specific concerns:
- How is this a long-term solution to COVID if I might need booster shots?
Living COVID-free and free of the symptoms and disability of long COVID ARE long-term benefits of vaccination.
- How is this a long-term solution to COVID if I might need booster shots?
Living COVID-free and free of the symptoms and disability of long COVID ARE long-term benefits of vaccination.
20i/ To address some of their specific concerns:
- Why did govt & pharma spend so much $ to expedite the development/manufacturing of vaccines vs COVID? But not other diseases?
Because the pandemic was a public health emergency with health, economic, & national security impacts.
- Why did govt & pharma spend so much $ to expedite the development/manufacturing of vaccines vs COVID? But not other diseases?
Because the pandemic was a public health emergency with health, economic, & national security impacts.
20j/ To address some of their specific concerns:
- I don’t want to be told by the government what to do.
The federal govt has no plans to mandate vaccination.
The private sector is moving forward with vaccination requirements because they understand COVID hurts business.
- I don’t want to be told by the government what to do.
The federal govt has no plans to mandate vaccination.
The private sector is moving forward with vaccination requirements because they understand COVID hurts business.
20k/ To address some of their specific concerns:
- I don’t want the govt using vaxx programs to collect information about me.
The govt collects information on # doses of what type of vaccine was administered to what demographic groups.
It collects data on reported side effects.
- I don’t want the govt using vaxx programs to collect information about me.
The govt collects information on # doses of what type of vaccine was administered to what demographic groups.
It collects data on reported side effects.
20l/ To address some of their specific concerns:
- The threat of mandated vaccination makes me more reluctant to get vaccinated.
The federal government and Congress have NO plans to mandate vaccination.
- The threat of mandated vaccination makes me more reluctant to get vaccinated.
The federal government and Congress have NO plans to mandate vaccination.
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