How to convince the whole population to take vaccination against covid-19

13 Feb 2021 

REACH

*Feedbacks received from people on the ground concerning Vaccination against covid*

1. Through conversation with quite a number of people, notice that many people is convinced to take their vaccination when their turns come.

2. But quite a sizeable of minority are not supportive of vaccination :-

a. A group is fearful of vaccination :-

- some a elderly who feel that they are weak and on long-term medication - they are afraid that their body cannot take it or they may experience some side effects that trigger their fear.

- news about Norway where some nursing home elderly pass away - even though it is proven that their demise are not related to the vaccination. But this fear strike home.

- some younger or mature people are sceptical about what the vaccines will bring in terms of adverse effects in the short term, medium term and long term

- yet some prefer to wait and see how the rest of the people who are vaccinate react to the vaccines before they decide to vaccinate.

- some are hardcore group that don't believe in vaccination - no matter what.

b. Some groups cannot be vaccinated :-

- Those who react adversely to the vaccines (eg. allergy trigger by PEG of the mRNA vaccines)

- Young children 16 years and below.

- Pregnant women and breast-feeding.

3. Pondering the big numbers and letting it go, it becoming disturbing and worrying - as it will still pose a pubic health problem - if Sngapore fail to address the vaccination for the unvaccinated group.

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*Consequences of sizeable minority not taking vaccination*

1. To achieve herd immunity against original covid (less contagious) - 80% of the resident population need to be vaccinated.

- This mean 4.48 million of population need to be vaccinated.

- 1.12 million people will not be vaccinated.

2. To achieve herd immunity against more contagious mutant covid strains (like UK B117 strain, SAfrica strain, Brazil strains) - 90% of the resident population need to be vaccinated.

- This mean 5.04 million of population need to be vaccinated.

- 560,000 people will not be vaccinated.

3. Those people unvaccinated form a large group to be secured and protected against infection - when we open up our Economy to the World - when the vaccination exercise is over ---- a very large surface area to secure.

4. The large unvaccinated group, a large surface area to secure ---- will have put tremendous stress on our hospital facilites, strike fear among the Community and impact Economic recovery and opening up of the borders - if infection spread among the unvaccinated.

5. Thus this is no longer an issue of allowing a large group of people who are fearful or those who refuse to get vaccination - to roam freely.

6. Because if the World pandemic is not over and the covid totally defeated and demise, there is a possiblity that those unvaccinated may get infected - and spread among those unvaccinated in the Community.

7. Thus, the issue now become a matter of not adopting a lay-back reactive approach to let the population decide on their own vaccination (though I am not suggesting the government is operating in this mode) - especially those who are not willing to get themselves vaccinated.

8. A more systematic approach to coax, convince and get the unvaccinated group - to get vaccinated may become necessary.

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*Approach to coax and secure vaccination for unvaccinated group*

1. Onion analogy

- To get to the core of the onion, there is a need to peel "layer by layer" until all the outer layers are peel off - we can finally see the "core".

- Likewise, to convince those unvaccinated groups to get vaccinated - we need to adopt the "onion approach" ---- peeling their resistance "layer by layer" to get to the core - and finally relent and agree.

2. Layer-by-layer approach

Among the approaches we can adopt to convince "anti-vaxx" group to vaccinate :-

- TV, mainstream media, social media streaming of health experts, artistes, Government of encouraging people to get vaccinated, allay people's fear in vaccination etc.

- Other family members try to convince those who are fearful of vaccination.

- Send Government officers, health officers or experience volunteers to coax and convince elderly, as well as others who are unwilling to vaccinate to get vaccinated.

- Get the rest of the family members vaccinated - and when they see there are no harm or danger cause by the vaccines - it may finally convince them to vaccinate.

3. Prod and find the "right key" to open the "hard" "heart" "lock"

- Visit and re-visit for those hardcore unvaccinated group - by trying to find the "right key" to open their heart and finally relent.

- Remember, even with one unvaccinated - it will still pose a risk to the Community for the virus to latch on - and re-infect the Community.

- It is thus important to discover their "fear", "pain points" or "what really concern them about the vaccination" - and address them "head-on" to get the unvaccinated groups sign on for the vaccination.

4. Learn from other Countries who are speeding and forging ahead and reaching herd immunity - how they convince their "anti-vaxx" group to vaccinate :-

- Countries like Israel has completed vaccinating about 60% of their population - and now finding more challenging to get into the last 40% who are providing resistance to the vaccination.

- We can learn from Israel how they achieve "herd immunity" by persuading and convincing the last 40% to vaccinate.

- The Israel approach in breaking down hardcore "anti-vaccination" group - can be our case studies - that we can adopt and apply it for our needs.

- Likewise, UK and US (coming up) ---- are also forging ahead in their vaccination --- and similarly we can learn from them --- how they approach the "anti-vaxx" hardcore to get them vaccinated.

5. Exploring alternatives for those groups that cannot be vaccinated.

- For those who are fearful of needle vaccination, may want to consider the oral vaccines currently under trial - and if successful use it as part of our vaccination programme.

Eg. Vaxart oral COVID-19 tablet vaccine

https://www.contagionlive.com/view/vaxart-has-developed-the-first-oral-investigational-covid-19-vaccine

- For the group that are Anaphylaxis - allergy to mRNA vaccine using PEG coating - use 

other type of non-mRNA vaccines eg. inactivated virus vaccine, viral vector vaccines, protein sub-unit vaccine.

- For the children below 16 years old - use vaccines that are successful after trial for children (eg. Sinopharm is safe and effective for children between 3 years to 17 years, Pfizer-BioNtech, Moderna - on trial for children below 16 years and 18 years old respectively).

- For pregnant women and breast-feeding - Israel and US have vaccinated against pregnant women successfully (but should also weigh ---- should vaccination be done on pregnant women --- or wait for 9 months after delivery then vaccinate.

As for women doing breast-feeding, can vaccinate but refrain from breast-feeding for 7 days will suffice.

6. I thus suggest the Government to give due consideration to this vaccination strategy for the unvaccinated group among our population ---- so that we can restart our Economy, open up our borders and attract business, tourists and business travellers safely.

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