Epidemiologist suggest new strategies to incentivize vaccination against COVID-19
"If you bring the vaccination card they give you a craft beer in Casco Viejo and in other restaurants," said epidemiologist Rebollón.
The epidemiologist Arturo Rebollón said Sunday some strategies that could be used to encourage or promote the process of vaccination against COVID-19, breaking the traditional mold.
“We have to break the molds and get out of the same vaccination issue and enter a special area that is social marketing, which involves promoting actions that promote behavior change, and when I refer to behavior change is that you make a different strategy for the population, "said the epidemiologist in the program Face to Face.
He gave as an example, the strategies implemented in other countries or places, such as sectors of the United States, where young people are being offered a beer on the beach to get vaccinated, or the beer is given when presenting their vaccination card.
"That is coincidentally a strategy that they are applying here in Panama that has been seen a bit controversial because this is a message with a specific target, this does not go to the entire population, this goes to young people who are of productive age, in the from 20 to 39 years old, and if you bring the vaccination card they give you a craft beer in Casco Viejo and in other restaurants, that should be the strategy”, explained the epidemiologist.
He added that there is also the case of places that offer a discount percentage when presenting the vaccination card against COVID-19, and there are pages that are promoting these benefits for free through social networks.
“Not only is it happening with alcoholic beverages which is what people sometimes take controversially, I have also seen it in stores and I have seen some very important web pages that say if you are giving a discount for those who are vaccinated, let me know I promote it for free, that is, there is already a natural organic chain in which everyone who is going to offer discounts and benefits for those vaccinated will be quickly disseminated on social networks,” explained Rebollón.
On the other hand, the epidemiologist added that on the subject of family gatherings, a process should also be started to teach people how to have safe meetings, emphasizing that people have to return to reality in their small-scale social activities.
"Start there, change the messages we are sending for prevention ... we have to learn to live with the virus and this is done respecting the most important measure of infection, which is to improve ventilation in all meetings where we are, if you are in a closed place opens the windows, puts a fan and thus reduces the infection in these populations", he pointed out.
“We have to break the molds and get out of the same vaccination issue and enter a special area that is social marketing, which involves promoting actions that promote behavior change, and when I refer to behavior change is that you make a different strategy for the population, "said the epidemiologist in the program Face to Face.
He gave as an example, the strategies implemented in other countries or places, such as sectors of the United States, where young people are being offered a beer on the beach to get vaccinated, or the beer is given when presenting their vaccination card.
"That is coincidentally a strategy that they are applying here in Panama that has been seen a bit controversial because this is a message with a specific target, this does not go to the entire population, this goes to young people who are of productive age, in the from 20 to 39 years old, and if you bring the vaccination card they give you a craft beer in Casco Viejo and in other restaurants, that should be the strategy”, explained the epidemiologist.
He added that there is also the case of places that offer a discount percentage when presenting the vaccination card against COVID-19, and there are pages that are promoting these benefits for free through social networks.
“Not only is it happening with alcoholic beverages which is what people sometimes take controversially, I have also seen it in stores and I have seen some very important web pages that say if you are giving a discount for those who are vaccinated, let me know I promote it for free, that is, there is already a natural organic chain in which everyone who is going to offer discounts and benefits for those vaccinated will be quickly disseminated on social networks,” explained Rebollón.
On the other hand, the epidemiologist added that on the subject of family gatherings, a process should also be started to teach people how to have safe meetings, emphasizing that people have to return to reality in their small-scale social activities.
"Start there, change the messages we are sending for prevention ... we have to learn to live with the virus and this is done respecting the most important measure of infection, which is to improve ventilation in all meetings where we are, if you are in a closed place opens the windows, puts a fan and thus reduces the infection in these populations", he pointed out.