The Strait Times: Education and Outreach – The Key to Vaccinating Seniors against COVID-19 in the US

From The Strait Times: WASHINGTON – In February, District of Columbia (DC) health authorities monitoring Covid-19 cases and vaccinations ward by ward in the United States capital were worried about older people being unable or unwilling to be vaccinated against the disease. The solution? Basic, low tech, common sense public health: Send out an army of volunteers to literally go door to door to persuade people to get vaccinated. Plus, make sure vaccines were actually available, and in accessible locations. There are incentives too, across the country, for getting vaccinated – a free doughnut perhaps, or a free beer. Several big companies – like supermarket chain Krogers – gave cash bonuses or a day’s pay to employees who got themselves vaccinated. The US also got vaccines out proactively to where seniors lived, says Dr Emily Largent, Assistant Professor of Medical Ethics and Health Policy at the University of Pennsylvania, CHIBE-affiliated faculty member, and a Senior Fellow at the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics. Having vaccines available free of charge for walk-ins at drug store chains has helped. Read the full story in The Strait Times.