More Ammo in Fighting COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy

As of this writing, more than 57 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been distributed across the United States. Roughly 16 million people have been vaccinated, with many more to follow. Unfortunately, around one-third of Americans don’t plan to be among them, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On the assumption that vaccination providers will come to include more urgent care centers, it’s essential that you have solid information to share with patients—especially data that can counteract misconceptions about the risk involved. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky noted in a press conference that 90% of effects are classified as “nonserious,” meaning they’re temporary and not life-threatening. The five most common include headache, fatigue, dizziness, chills, and nausea; all were more likely to occur after the second shot. Anaphylaxis, often the reason of choice for people who express concern, has occurred at a rate of 4.5 events per million people. Balancing that with a death toll of over 500,000 Americans from the virus may be a persuasive argument.