Engaging:
This step involves making a person feel safe talking to you. It’s important to ask someone’s permission to talk about COVID-19. You can ask them, “I want to talk to you about COVID-19 vaccines. Is that okay?”.
Focusing:
This step helps you learn why someone may not want to get the vaccine. You can ask someone questions like:
- “How do you feel about getting the vaccine?”
- “What are some reasons you don’t want to get the vaccine?”
Evoking:
In this step, you can help a person explore why a person might want to get the vaccine. You can also let them know you understand why they are still unsure. You can say:
- “You are worried about getting sick from the vaccine, but you also want to keep your parents safe because they are older and could get very sick from COVID.”
- “You heard that COVID isn’t a big deal, but you have seen the number of people dying from COVID on the news, which is scary.”
You can also help people explore reasons they may want to get the vaccine or some good things that could happen. You can ask:
- “What might be some good things about getting the vaccine?”
- “What are some things you would be excited to do if you got the vaccine?”
You can also learn if a person is ready to get the vaccine. You can ask:
- “What information would help you make your decision to get the vaccine?”
- “How are you feeling about maybe getting the vaccine?”
Planning:
The planning stage is about helping a person take the next step. You should first ask their permission to provide information. You can ask:
- “Is it okay if I send you some information to help you make your decision?”
- “I have a list of drive-thru vaccine sites in our town that you would be able to visit. Would you like me to show you this list?”
You can help a person decide their next steps by asking
- “How are you feeling about getting the vaccine?”
- “What next steps would you like to take?”
If a person is ready to get the vaccine, you can offer to help them find or schedule an appointment. If a person is still unsure, it is important to offer to support them, even if you don’t agree with their decision. You can say
- “You are still figuring out what is best for you.”
- “It sounds like you need to talk to your family to help you make a decision.”
- “I will be here to talk if you have any questions later on.”
- “Please let me know if there’s anything else that I can help you find.”