Sneak up on them when they’re sleeping?
A Vox article (here) has a different suggestion:
“As President Joe Biden prepares for the next phase of America’s Covid-19 vaccine rollout, there’s one strategy he should seriously consider: staying quiet.”
That’s because “the big holdout group for vaccines is Republicans.” Consequently, “Vaccine polarization is a big challenge for Biden because Republicans are unlikely to listen to him.” (Gee, who would’ve guessed?) “In fact, a recent study … found that Biden’s advocacy can [make] Republicans less likely … to get vaccinated.” (Mules, too.)
“So what can be done to get this group vaccinated? … Part of the answer is still about improving access ….” (The article then suggests sending mobile vaccine vans to bars.)
Also, “An outreach campaign, led by Republicans, could also play a role,” although a UCLA study found “a pro-vaccine message from Trump didn’t have much of an effect,” even though he easily persuaded them to “get wild” at the Capitol on January 6 (but rioting is more fun than getting a shot).
UCLA’s top researcher wants to try incentives. “For example, her research found that offering $100 or telling people they no longer have to social distance or mask up in public if they get vaccinated can move Republicans toward getting the shot.” (In other words, they won’t do it to save their own lives, but they will for a hundred bucks.)
That’s the carrot approach. Then there’s the stick method: “Surveys from the Kaiser Family Foundation found about one-third of the most vaccine-resistant would get the shot if it was required … by an employer or … to get into restaurants.” (After thinking about this long and hard, it dawned on me that most Republicans probably don’t know how to cook, and if they can’t eat out, they won’t eat. That explains a lot.)
The article concludes, “the administration probably won’t be able to rely on Biden’s speeches to get America across the vaccine finish line.” Did anyone ever think differently?
Photo: Red state vaccine clinic