11 things experts say will help the rest of Wisconsin get vaccinated.
The vaccination rate in Wisconsin and nationally has slowed in recent weeks, and public health experts are worried that we’re plateauing or even hitting a wall.
The goal now is to get as many people vaccinated as possible, reducing transmission of the virus, hospitalizations and deaths. That will require new approaches, and, at times, some creativity.
Here are some ideas from public health experts and others for getting shots in more arms. Some of these are underway, while others will require cooperation and buy-in from private businesses and others.
Vaccines that come to you
Experts believe a sizable share of those who have not been vaccinated aren’t opposed to getting the shot, but just haven’t gotten around to it yet. They might lack transportation or just not made it a priority.
Mara Lord, chair of the Milwaukee area vaccine communications and community mobilization effort, estimates a quarter of the population or more falls into that category. The key, she said, is to bring vaccines to them.
“We need creativity in how to meet people where they are,” Lord said. “We need to create opportunities that make it really convenient.”
That means setting up vaccine clinics at shopping malls, stores, schools, workplaces and neighborhoods, Lord said.
Health systems are also expanding the number of places to get a shot. Prevea Health this week announced it would send doses to 11 clinics and hospitals in the Green Bay area in addition to its mass vaccination site at UW-Green Bay’s Kress Events Center.
Similar efforts are underway in Milwaukee, where the health department is scheduling temporary vaccine clinics throughout the city.
Milwaukee County also said it’s working to figure out how to provide in-home vaccinations to those who are homebound.
More evening, weekend clinics
The Milwaukee area doesn’t lack for vaccination sites, but many of them aren’t open in the evening and are closed on weekends.
“People are working at very different times,” said Zeno Franco, a professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin. “And to think that vaccinating people from 8 to 5 is going to work for everyone is probably just not the case.”
More vaccinators of color
Community health workers with the Milwaukee Health Department noted that the initial staff at the vaccination site at the Wisconsin Center were a “sea of white faces.”
The Milwaukee Health Department and others took note.
“The point that they made to me is that if they want to be genuinely equitable, we need to make sure that there are vaccinators of color at every major vaccination site,” Franco of the Medical College said.
“For communities of color, it is really powerful to see a vaccinator, who hopefully also has been vaccinated themself and is saying ‘I trust this,’” he said.
Employers giving employees time off to get the vaccine
Businesses could do their part by giving employees, particularly those in low-wage jobs, a few hours off and keeping them on the clock while they get vaccinated.
Workers in low-wage jobs rarely have the luxury of being able to step away for a few hours for a dentist appointment, to pick up a sick child from school or, in this case, get vaccinated. And when they do, it costs them several hours of wages.
Providing paid time off for vaccinations “may cost a little on the front end, but ultimately it makes us get back to normal a lot more swiftly,” Franco said. “It is just good business sense to try to make sure that employees are getting the vaccine any way that we can.”
Workplaces, even small ones, hosting vaccine clinics
Vaccination clinics at workplaces are convenient for employees, and seeing coworkers get the shots can help overcome the wariness that some people have.
Employers throughout Wisconsin have arranged for temporary vaccine clinics for their employees.
They range from small companies, such as Asenzya, a small manufacturer of spice blends for food companies in Oak Creek and Bradley Corp. in Menomonee Falls, to some of the state’s large employers, such as Northwest Mutual, Rockwell Automation, Johnson Controls, Generac and Quad/Graphics.
One-on-one conversations between trusted family, friends
Knowing family members and friends who have been vaccinated can be reassuring for people who are wary, experts said.
“Individuals want to hear from their neighbors, their friends, their family why they were hesitant, why they changed their mind, why they decided to get the vaccine and what their experience was,” Lord said.
Their testimonials could be even more influential than urging from trusted professionals like physicians and faith leaders, Lord said.
If people are hesitant, it’s important to not dismiss their concerns.
“There are genuine fears that people have because they have misinformation,” Franco said.
Instead, answer their questions with facts and full explanations from reliable sources.
More personalized outreach
The Milwaukee community mobilization group, run by Lord, is recruiting 150 people to knock on doors in neighborhoods to answer people’s questions about the vaccine.
The door-knockers will be trained and paid. The group hopes reaching people one-on-one will help
combat vaccine hesitancy.
The group is also looking into texting teens eligible for the vaccine. Most 16and 17-year-olds have cellphones, and they might not encounter more mainstream advertising campaigns, the group reasons.
Vaccine fairs at schools
Health officials say vaccinating children and teenagers is key to preventing outbreaks in schools and reducing spread in surrounding communities.
But there are some unique challenges in vaccinating minors. They are required to have consent from a parent or guardian, and they may be less likely to seek out appointments since they’re less likely to get seriously sick.
School-based vaccine clinics could help populations overcome both of those challenges. School staff have experience communicating with parents and sending home permission slips. And it may be easier for students to get to their school’s gym than to find transportation to other vaccine sites.
Some schools have already hosted clinics for older students. Mount Horeb High School near Madison offered optional vaccine appointments in its gym. Parents were encouraged to attend but also given the option to send along a permission form.
Milwaukee health officials said they’re preparing to start offering vaccines at local schools. Parents and guardians will be able to sign consent forms for students to receive the shot, so the adults don’t have to be there in person.
Gift cards, beer and other incentives
Incentives could play a key role in vaccinating those who intend to get vaccinated but haven’t yet, and those who are indifferent to vaccination.
Young adults especially are likely to be indifferent, Lord said — they’re not very worried about the coronavirus and don’t see vaccination as a necessity.
But offering a perk like a free beer might motivate those groups.
Northcott Neighborhood House, a Milwaukee community center, is offering a $20 gift card to people who get their second shot at the center.
And the Fox Cities COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic partnered with Appleton Beer Factory, McFleshman’s and Stone Arch Brewpub to give a coupon for a free beer when someone gets vaccinated — though the coupon is not good until June when full immunity has developed.
People under 21 get a coupon for a free root beer or soda.
Faith leaders encouraging congregations to get vaccinated
Rev. Kerri Parker, executive director of the Wisconsin Council of Churches, is strategizing ways to help church leaders host temporary clinics.
Experts also say faith leaders can make a big impact when they speak to their congregations about the vaccine.
For many people of faith, “whatever the leader does, they’ll follow suit and emulate that because they trust the leader just that much,” said the Rev. Donna Childs, senior pastor at Tabernacle Community Baptist Church in Milwaukee.
Childs and others have been sharing resources and information about the vaccine with their congregations. They hope that by backing vaccinations publicly and promoting reputable sources, they’ll build confidence in communities that may be hesitant to get the vaccine.
Vaccine clinics at fun events
For young adults especially, it will be important to create an “experience” around getting vaccinated, Lord said.
She hopes to see more social events paired with vaccination clinics. That way, getting vaccinated will come to be seen as the cool thing to do.
Milwaukee Health Department and the Milwaukee Bucks partnered to have a vaccination site at Fiserv Forum’s Panorama Club, giving shots before and during the game.
The same could happen at a Brewers game. And don’t be surprised if there are booths at Summerfest and Packers games — though everyone should hope that by the fall they wouldn’t be needed.
Reporter Rory Linnane contributed to this article.