43% of Republicans say they likely will never get vaccine (other survey data (kff.org) shows similar results).
Vaccine supply will outpace demand in a month, at which point increasing demand becomes the priority.
The question - what’s the best way to get these people to get vaccinated?
Legal recourse?
Private sector prohibiting unvaccinated people from using services?
Double down on PR?
Deputize syringe squads to jab people when they’re not looking?
I tend to think the answer lies in behavioral science. Much like reframing the default option for 401k participation and organ donorship as “Participate” increases retirement savings and organ donation, I’d wager COVID vaccination would yield similar results.
Another piece is to get people in a place where they have to say no to a live person in order to opt out. Much like I can’t say no to a cashier asking for an extra 5 bucks for St. Jude, it’s harder to say no in person to an ask than to ignore a commercial.
I don’t vote for Democrats, but I took both shots as soon as I was able to get them. COVID-19 hammered my family, with both of my siblings developing serious complications after contracting the virus. I also had the benefit of family members that actually work as public health researchers, so I was able to get concrete information during the course of vaccine development that wasn’t propaganda from the right or the left. I wish I knew what the answer was here, but most people are skeptical about this virus until it actually hits them or a loved one hard.
