Q1: What works in gaining trust in vaccine acceptance in vulnerable communities?

This first of several Questions were explored in a recent Stakeholder Health “Rapid Learning Session on COVID 19 Vaccine  Education and Distribution”

Key Themes: community and provider buy-in, trusted community members, diverse image sets in outreach materials

See the Full Report HERE

Best-Known Ways

• Community and provider buy-in is critical in building trust with community members. Engage and build trust with the population we seek to vaccinate
• The narrative is important, and gaining community trust is critical in light of historical context and lack of trust
• Get information to the community through already-trusted avenues:
  • Persistent and consistent messages from faith leaders and other trusted community leaders
  • Identifying people in the community who are willing to be vaccinated and who are trusted by the community
  • Photos of people getting vaccines
  • Videos of physicians addressing facts
  • Seminars where trusted providers speak on the vaccine and ensure there is an opportunity for questions and answers
  • Town halls in underserved communities that are led by the communities
  • Call on our leaders of color to share articles on why there is vaccine hesitancy
• Allow adequate space for community members to receive and process the information being shared about the vaccine

Recommendations

• Outreach to ensure a diverse image set in outreach materials
• Ensure community members can see themselves and others in the outreach materials
• Create safe places for community members to ask questions
• Community strategies are not “one size fits all.” Adapt the strategy for the specific population and listen to the specific needs of each community

Insights

• “Trust builds trust”
• Understand our vulnerable communities and how we define vulnerability