Experts believe overcoming COVID-19 vaccine resistance will rely on sound communication to convince the general public. The key to this effective communication will be based on promoting vaccines using behavioral economics and consumer behavior theory. Their research is published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
"The country has made an incredible investment in fast-tracking SARS-CoV-2 vaccines from conception to market, which would make it even more tragic if we fail to curtail the virus simply because Americans are hesitant to be vaccinated," says Stacy Wood, first author and an expert in consumer behavior and innovation. Wood works as a professor of marketing and executive director of the Consumer Innovation Collaborative at the NC State Poole College of Management.
Fluctuations in recent surveys have shown between 50-72% of the U.S. population is willing to be vaccinated. Dr. Anthony Fauci has noted that at least 80% of the population will need to get the vaccine in order to get back to normal. Currently, this seems like a difficult metric to meet, however, experts are optimistic about using new strategies to motivate the population.
Wood and Kevin Schulman of Stanford, used their experience in behavioral economics and consumer research to develop 12 strategies that could help with the vaccine promotion initiative. Of the proposed strategies Wood highlights the use of analogy, increase observability, leverage natural scarcity and promote compromise options.