A look at some of the offers for the un-vaccinated, after the jump …….
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I have long thought that the word “hesitant” is not the key word in the world of vaccinations — it is more about “persuadable” vs. “non-persuadable”, with “hesitant” being a sub-set of “persuadable”. It seems that the campaign to vaccinate will succeed (among other ways) if ... (1) It distributes the vaccine to people not just via pharmacies and health clinics but also where they live and work (offices, factories, houses of worship, etc.), (2) involves intermediaries who people trust (nurses, pastors, community leaders, etc.) and (3) involves some appeal — letting people into baseball stadiums and the like (where they might not normally not be allowed) in addition to having provided adequate space for mass vaccinations.
Here’s an example from abroad:
Medics (with fang stickers on their scrubs) are offering Pfizer shots to everyone who visits the 14th-century Bran Castle in central Romania — as some believe the castle inspired the vampire's lair in Bram Stoker's iconic novel Dracula. During every weekend in May, anyone can turn up without an appointment to get a jab and they also get free entry to the Transylvanian castle's exhibit of ….. 52 medieval torture instruments.
The blogger Atrios (a/k/a the Baby Blue Cherub) has been making the point that:
Aim at vaccinating everyone, but "we" don't have to be obsessed with Trumpkin anti-vaxxers instead of just people who probably aren't being reached through current practices, but who would be more than willing to get a shot. We know plenty of high minority areas aren't being reached, and while vaccine hesitation might play some role there, too, as everywhere, it isn't the Trumpkin "refusing the vax to own the libs" bullshit.
The way to get vaccines in arms fastest is to go after the lowest hanging fruit, then the next, then the next. Do not focus on petulant Trumpkins who want the world to revolve around them.
Now, the effort to reach the persuadable (as you’ve no doubt read) is to offer incentives …. which leads to yet another episode of What Digby Said:
A huge number of people in this country are apathetic, uninformed and uninvolved in any kind of civic activity. Many are young and healthy and are just living their lives without much regard to anything outside their immediate bubble. It’s not that they’re against the vaccine or are even “hesitant”. They just don’t see any urgency and don’t really care or understand they can be vectors for the virus so they just go about their lives.
These people can be reached by offering them something they want in return for getting vaccinated. And as this shows, it doesn’t have to be expensive. A free beer, some free tickets, a coupon for something, whatever. They just need something to spur them to get it that has nothing to do with being a responsible citizen, which just isn’t on their radar screen.
She was alluding to the offers being made to encourage vaccinations:
→ Residents of Erie County, New York being offered a free pint of beer from a clinic sponsored by a Buffalo microbrewery.
→ The state of New Jersey joining Erie County in that regard, statewide.
→ West Virginians between the ages of 16 and 35 who get the Covid-19 vaccine will receive a $100 savings bond, in a proposal by its Republican governor.
→ The GOP governor of Ohio announced five weekly drawings: (a) for those under the age of 18: a four-year full scholarship to any of Ohio's state colleges, and (b) for those 18 and older: a prize of up to $1 million.
The Baby Blue Cherub takes note …. and seems to be mellowing a bit:
As much as I've been fretting about the declining vaccine numbers (reversing, maybe, now), I actually think true vax refusers are noisy and relatively few. Sure, maybe there's enough hesitancy among Trumpkins that you'll have to offer them a free beer, or something, but I suspect the number of hardcore refusers is small and dwindling. Petulant enough to not make the effort, but show up with vaccines in the ice cream truck, and free ice cream ... and they'll grudgingly submit.
Please add your examples of incentives that catch-your-eye, and other thoughts.
To look forward …. to the future of a post-pandemic world: let’s close with a member of one of the new Rock & Roll Hall of Fame group inductees. Belinda Carlisle is the lead singer of the newly-inducted Go-Go’s— here as a solo performer, she sings a song from my favorite musician (Jack Bruce) — the very apropos tune I Feel Free.
Now, on to Top Comments:
From Crashing Vor:
In the diary by DavyZJones— an open letter to insurrection-denying Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) — kamachanda says in 12 words why Republicans will not stop lying about January 6th.
Highlighted by Frank Pedraza:
In the front-page story about GOP House members insisting January 6th was not an insurrection— this comment made by suzeli.
And from Ed Tracey, your faithful correspondent this evening ........
In the diary by annieli about Marjorie Taylor Greene stalking Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — Navy Vet Terp notes (among other things) a downside to her having been stripped of her committee assignments: she is now free to be able to do political performance art ... each day.
We are still awaiting word …….. on whether Jotter's PictureQuilt can be revived.
And lastly: yesterday's Top Mojo - mega-mojo to the intrepid mik ...... who rescued this feature from oblivion:
12) A voice vote. Cowards. by bdbd +9622) Trevor Noah’s take by Denise Oliver Velez +7430) Good … by fat old man +67