There’s a right way and wrong way to get people vaccinated. Let’s do it the right way | Opinion

Despite all the scientific evidence, vaccine resistance is on the rise, fueled by isolated but well-publicized cases of adverse side effects and abundant conspiracy theories on social media. Institutions, experts and drug companies are not trusted as they used to be. Mixed messages, contradictory advice from government officials and frequent changes in guidance from Washington on how to prevent COVID-19 have further fueled skepticism. An October Morning Consult survey reported that only 47 percent of American adults and 31 percent of Black adults would get vaccinated.

As we close in on an approved vaccine, we have to think hard how to do better than a 50 percent take-up rate in the first year. Four factors will determine if you will get vaccinated:

Perceived risk: Given your demographic and job vulnerability (are you or your partner a front-line worker?), what is your risk of contracting COVID-19 and what is your risk of suffering a severe or life-threatening case? The death rate is around only 2.5 percent, but case and death rates have disproportionately impacted lower socioeconomic groups.

Perceived effectiveness: Given the modest track record of flu vaccines (around 40 percent effective), you might ask how effective is the COVID-19 vaccine and how long does it last? Will you have to be vaccinated every year? Will a better version of the vaccine (more effective or with fewer side effects) be introduced next year? Fortunately, the Pfizer vaccine is rated 95 percent effective based on a 45,000-person trial and is equally effective for older people.

Perceived convenience: Will the vaccine be conveniently available at no or little cost with minimal waiting time? The Pfizer vaccine requires two jabs three weeks apart; there likely will be compliance slippage. The same vaccine has to be stored at minus 90 degrees Fahrenheit to maintain efficacy; the number of distribution points will inevitably be limited.

Perceived fairness: When will you be able to receive the vaccine? It has been hard to recruit minorities for the vaccine trials, because of fear of being used as guinea pigs and belief that they will only be at the end of the line when it becomes available. All agree that front-line healthcare workers should be first to be vaccinated. After that, the pecking order is murky. Pfizer may be an American company, but it has already signed multiple agreements with other national governments, so Italian healthcare workers, for example, might receive the vaccine ahead of American seniors.

How do we overcome people’s hesitance to being vaccinated?

First, the private sector, backed by government subsidies, must ramp up production so that a massive amount of the vaccine is available quickly at low or no cost. This will reduce fairness concerns. In addition, vaccine manufacturers and the media have to invest in communicating their vaccines’ effectiveness and hopefully minimal side effects to all population groups.

Second, retail corporations such as Walmart, Target and shopping-mall operators should offer to set up temporary vaccination clinics in large parking lots. Retailers have a strong interest in ensuring all their employees and customers are vaccinated. Other corporations that want to bring back their workers to factories and offices should provide free, on-site vaccination.

Third, local agencies must reach vulnerable, yet skeptical, minorities through collaboration with trusted pastors and community leaders. Use mobile clinics with refrigerated vaccine storage units to take the vaccine to where people live.

Fourth, messaging (in several languages) not only must emphasize the vaccine’s safety and tell people where and when to be vaccinated, but also make an emotional appeal to community spirit. Get vaccinated to protect your community as well as your family, friends and yourself. Try to make it fun; for example, give a “good to go” green plastic wristband to everyone who is vaccinated. And use celebrities and athletes to communicate that it’s also plain dumb not to be vaccinated.

Once the vaccine is introduced, it will be quickly evident that those who get vaccinated will more likely survive. Rather than wait for this evidence, and to slow the spread, it is essential to ramp up the percentage of the population vaccinated as fast as possible. This is such a massive supply chain challenge that military medics may need to play a role. Delays will only breed distrust and require continued mask-wearing until the vast majority of the population is vaccinated.

John A. Quelch is dean of the University of Miami Patti and Allan Herbert Business School and a professor in the Miller School of Medicine’s Department of Public Health. He is co-author of “Choice Matters: How Healthcare Consumers Make Decisions.”