How to Encourage Covid Vaccinations at Work

AUSTIN, Texas - June 22, 2021 - PRLog -- Why Should We Care That Covid Vaccination Rates Are Slowing Down Across The US?

US health officials fear the chance of achieving herd immunity against coronavirus is slipping away.

The problem is no longer a lack of available vaccines but fewer people coming forward to be inoculated.

Why should we be concerned about this?

There are several key points to consider.

Herd immunity occurs when upwards of around 75% to 95%* of the population gain immunity to an infectious disease – either by contracting it and developing antibodies to it or receiving a vaccine. The scenario makes it very difficult for a communicable disease, such as coronavirus, to replicate, thus bringing an end to the outbreak.

*The actual percentage varies from disease to disease; since coronavirus is novel e.g. new, we don't know the exact answer yet, but many epidemiologists think a safer number would 85% or higher.

If we don't eradicate coronavirus from the population, what are we giving up?

First and foremost, non-vaccinated people can help spread the virus, and an active infectious disease that continues to circulate can genetically mutate over time – resulting in either a more virulent (e.g. dangerous) or a more contagious variant, such as the one that originated in India and is now rapidly spreading within the UK.

Epidemiologists believe that unless the coronavirus is eradicated worldwide, there is a small but frightening chance that a dangerous new version of coronavirus could emerge that would render our existing vaccines incapable of protecting people.

In this doomsday scenario, all the sacrifices everyone has made during lockdown would be for naught – and we'd be facing another one to two years of pandemic while Pharma companies rush to develop next-generation vaccines.

The second concern is that herd immunity helps protect those who, due to medical conditions, cannot be vaccinated (such as the very young) or for whom vaccinations are less effective. For example, recent research indicates that those with certain health conditions may not be able to create as many antibodies as those with healthy immune systems. Individuals in these categories would be better protected from disease once we achieve herd immunity.

Different Communities, Different Vaccination Rates

Let's shift gears now and talk about what managers need to consider when encouraging employees to get Covid vaccinations at work.

The first point is that employers should not assume that everyone feels the same about getting vaccinated.

Indeed, public opinion surveys point to long-standing differences among different ethnic, religious, socioeconomic, and politically affiliated groups.

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