Abstract
An important step in preparation for the fourth COVID-19 wave is to provide healthcare workers (HCWs) with skills to facilitate behaviour change in vaccine-hesitant patients. Convincing members of the public who are vaccine hesitant rather than anti-vaxxers should be the focus of our efforts. Our experience is that vaccine-hesitant individuals and anti-vaxxers are generally distinct cohorts, with differing reasons for their vaccine reluctance. If we are to truly address hesitancy, we must take time to understand the reasons for an individual’s hesitancy. Developing a conceptual framework and skills for HCWs during encounters with unvaccinated individuals will be important not only for shifting some to get vaccinated, but also to manage the complex emotions that HCWs will undoubtedly be forced to confront during the fourth wave.
DOI
10.7196/samj.2022.v112i1.16208
Publication Date
2022-02-02
Publication Title
SAMJ South African Medical Journal
Volume
112
Issue
1
Publisher
Health and Medical Publishing Group (HMPG)
ISSN
2078-5135
Embargo Period
2024-11-19
First Page
11
Last Page
13
Recommended Citation
Hoare, J., Mendelson, M., & Frenkel, L. (2022) 'COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and anti-vaxxers – supporting healthcare workers to navigate the unvaccinated: Reflections from clinical practice', SAMJ South African Medical Journal, 112(1), pp. 11-13. Health and Medical Publishing Group (HMPG): Available at: https://doi.org/10.7196/samj.2022.v112i1.16208
