Living with COVID-19: How to talk about vaccination – Dos and Don’ts

As we learn to live with COVID-19, vaccines will continue to play a key role in protecting ourselves, our loved ones and our communities.

Two years into the pandemic, there are still some individuals who won’t accept COVID-19 vaccines. There are a variety of reasons someone may not support vaccination, but how can you talk rationally about someone’s choice to remain unvaccinated?

If we can have open, honest discussions about vaccines, we may all learn from each other, and in doing so resume lives that came screeching to halt when the pandemic began.

Below you will find some simple do’s and don’ts on how to have those vaccine discussions.

Do:

• Show empathy
• Be respectful
• Stay calm
• Have an open discussion
• Be a good listener
• Ask open-ended questions
• Focus on benefits and positives
• Share information from trusted, verifiable sources
• Offer help, not guilt

Don’t:

• Assume the worst
• Make demands
• Interrupt
• Immediately dismiss their beliefs or concerns
• Tell them to “do their research”

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COVID-19 vaccination is an important part of moving past the pandemic.

COVID-19 vaccination is an important part of moving past the pandemic.

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