What actually changes hearts (and/or minds) on vaccination

This new Kaiser Family Foundation survey is interesting. I thought it might be useful to share since I know a lot of you still have family or friends or neighbors who won't get vaccinated, and it can feel like there's no point in trying to help change their mind.

This chart breaks down the reasons given by people who chose to get vaccinated only after June 1. So, people who didn't do it immediately, but who ultimately decided to do their part.

My takeaway is mostly from the second column: None of these approaches work very well in isolation. Hesitant people don't get vaccinated because of one "main" reason, so much as because of a gradual accretion of reasons. They add up to eventually create the necessary urgency and eventually tip us toward responsible action.

That's how we are with most big decisions in life. The idea of an "ah ha" moment or a single conversation that made you decide to marry someone or move to Alaska or go to medical school ... those stories are compelling, but usually our revelations are not so dramatic. This one is no different.

Point being, small things matter, even if you don't see the impact right away. If you've had conversations with friends or family—or even just shared an article or study, or sent simple notes to people you know saying you care about them and hope they'll reconsider—and yet you don't feel it helped, you're not alone. And ultimately it still may help. You just might not know what part you played.

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