COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence
Everyday many more people are becoming partially or fully vaccinated, but there are many others who have not been vaccinated, despite the demonstrated safety of the vaccines and their high degree of effectiveness in preventing severe illness and death. Social workers, as professionals who provide services in a wide range of community settings, and who are trusted messengers, are in a unique position to promote COVID-19 vaccine confidence, access, and uptake — particularly among populations with low vaccination rates and higher vulnerability to severe forms of infection.
Vaccine confidence is a complex construct that involves a variety of personal factors such as religious beliefs, political beliefs, perceptions of the government, perceptions of science, individual and/or community experiences with health providers and/or systems, language and/or literacy, and/or immigration/refugee status. As is seen in public health initiatives generally, there are also systemic and logistical factors such as transportation, childcare, and misinformation/disinformation. With their distinctive “person in the environment” framework, social workers possess highly relevant expertise in helping facilitate informed vaccine decision making in this context.
NASW and the NASW Foundation are partnering with the Health Behavior Research and Training Institute (HBRT) at The University of Texas at Austin Steve Hicks School of Social Work in a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-funded (CDC) initiative to support social workers and their clients in informed vaccine decision-making.
The Connect to End COVID-19 initiative is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as part of a financial assistance award totaling $3.3 million with 100 percent funded by CDC/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.
NASW Resources
- NASW Vaccine Confidence Training for Social Workers – Complimentary self-study webinars and CEUs
A centerpiece of the Connect to End COVID-19 initiative is providing accurate information to social workers about COVID-19 and the COVID-19 vaccines, including vaccine safety and effectiveness, barriers to vaccination (e.g., mis/disinformation, logistical challenges, psychosocial and social care considerations, etc.), and the role of social workers in supporting clients in informed decision making regarding COVID-19 vaccination.
Key to the initiative are national, interactive trainings on the use of Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and other evidence-based, culturally competent, public health and social work informed frameworks for helping clients process decisions regarding their health. A primary focus is on populations with low vaccination rates and greater vulnerability to severe forms of infection.
Myths & Facts
- Anyone can contract COVID-19.
- We don’t know how COVID-19 will affect each person.
- Certain populations are at greater risk of severe illness and/or death. Among others, these include:
- Adults 65+
- People with underlying medical conditions
- People with mental health disorders and/or substance use disorders
- People who are unhoused
- People who are African American, Hispanic or Indigenous
- LGBTQ people
- Socially and/or economically vulnerable people
- Some people develop long-term COVID-19 symptoms (e.g., Long Haul COVID), which can result in prolonged disruptions in health and even long-term disability.
- COVID-19 vaccines have proven to be highly effective in preventing severe illness, hospitalization and/or death.
- Vaccinated people are eight (8) times less likely to be infected and 25 times less likely to experience hospitalization or death.
- COVID-19 vaccines are safe. Serious side effects that could cause long-term health problems are extremely unlikely following any vaccination. COVID-19 vaccines were evaluated in tens of thousands of participants in clinical trials. The vaccines met the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) rigorous scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality needed to support approval or authorization of a vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and vaccine safety experts quickly assess unexpected adverse events to guide vaccine recommendations.
Centers for Disease Control Resources
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides a wide array of information and resources that are beneficial to social workers who are working to enhance COVID-19 vaccine confidence and support clients in informed vaccine decision-making.
Data and Trends
Vaccine Confidence
- COVID-19 Vaccines
- COVID-19 Vaccination for Children
- v-safe After Vaccination Health Checker
- Building Confidence in COVID-19 Vaccines
- 12 COVID-19 Vaccination Strategies for Your Community
- Getting a Flu Vaccine and a COVID-19 Vaccine at the Same Time
- Ways Health Departments Can Help Increase COVID-19 Vaccinations
- CDC Streamlines COVID-19 Guidance to Help the Public Better Protect Themselves and Understand Their Risk
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)
- CDC ACIP News and Information
- Understanding the ACIP and How Vaccine Recommendations are Made in the US (Video)
Addressing Misinformation/Disinformation
- Myths and Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines for Children
- How to Address COVID-19 Vaccine Misinformation
- State of Vaccine Confidence Insights Reports
- A Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation – Office of the U.S. Surgeon General 2021
Health Care Providers
- Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Vaccination in Children
- Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccinations Currently Approved or Authorized in the United States
- Talking with Patients About COVID-19 Vaccination
- Answering Patients’ Questions About COVID-19 Vaccine and Vaccination
School Social Work
Communications
Special Populations
- How to Tailor COVID-19 Vaccine Information to Your Specific Audience
- How to Talk with Parents and Caregivers About COVID-19 Vaccination
- COVID-19 Vaccination for Pregnant People to Prevent Serious Illness, Deaths, and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes from COVID-19
- National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants, and Migrants (NRC-RIM) Vaccine Central
- Toolkit for People with Disabilities
- Strategies for Reaching People with Limited Access to COVID-19 Vaccine
Health Equity
- Partnering for Vaccine Equity: Vaccine Resource Hub
- COVID-19 Vaccine Equity for Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups
- Strategies for Reaching People with Limited Access to COVID-19 Vaccines
HHS Resources
- HHS/CDC Bridge Access Program for COVID-19 Vaccines and Treatments for the Uninsured: Program Overview
- HHS Bridge Access Program for COVID Vaccines and Treatment for the Uninsured: Summary Talking Points
- April 26, 2023, CMS Fact Sheet: What Do I Need to Know? CMS Waivers, Flexibilities, and the Transition Forward from the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency – PDF
- April 26, 2023, CMS Frequently Asked Questions on CMS Waivers, Flexibilities, and the End of the COVID-19 PHE – PDF
- April 18, 2023, Fact Sheet: HHS Announces ‘HHS Bridge Access Program For COVID-19 Vaccines and Treatments’ to Maintain Access to COVID-19 Care for the Uninsured
- April 14, 2023, Fact Sheet: HHS Announces Intent to Amend the Declaration Under the PREP Act for Medical Countermeasures Against COVID-19
- April 14, 2023, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra’s Letter to US Governors on Intent to Amend the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act)
- March 7, 2023, Letter to US governors from HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra thanking governors for your efforts over the last three years during the coronavirus disease 2019 (covid-19) pandemic
- February 27, 2023, CMS Fact Sheet: CMS Waivers, Flexibilities, and the Transition Forward from the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
- February 9, 2023, Fact Sheet: COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Transition Roadmap
- February 9, 2023, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra’s Letter to US Governors on the End of the COVID PHE
- HHS Vaccination Weeks of Action Social Media Toolkit
- HHS COVID-19 Public Education Campaign
Other Resources
- Reducing Vaccine Hesitancy for People Living With Disabilities – ASTHO
- Resources to Support Vaccine Readiness in Your Community – Vaccine Equity Cooperative
Additional Resources
- Post Covid-19 Care Centers
Recovery from COVID-19 is posing a new set of challenges for patients and physicians alike. There is so much we don’t know with, with the lingering and persistent long COVID symptoms emerging as an ongoing battle. Post COVID Care Centers (PCCC) are opening across the county to address the issues of COVID-19 recovery – with comprehensive and coordinated treatment pathways.
View available PCCCs in California – this list provides a growing network of PCCCs.
- Healthy Davis Together – Working to prevent the spread of Covid-19
A joint project between the City of Davis and UC Davis with a goal to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The website offers Covid-19 updates, insights, data, testing information, and more.
- California Department of Public Health – Vaccinate All 58 Counties
Materials created to provide clear, factual and actionable information for Californians to help them stay safer from COVID-19, including resources that help Californians understand the importance of wearing a mask when it can protect themselves and their community.
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