Distribution and administration
of vaccines to combat the
COVID-19 virus continues to expand,
but myths and disinformation
about the vaccine and its safety
and benefits persist.
According to a recent article in
the journal Health Affairs, effective
vaccination requires four elements:
generating demand for the vaccine,
allocating the vaccine, distributing
the vaccine, and verifying coverage.
The National League for Nursing,
the premier organization for
nursing education leaders, emphasizes
the importance of educating
health professionals and the public
about the vaccine.
Vaccines in general work by
encouraging the body to generate
antibodies to protect against an invading
infection. The risks of these
mild symptoms however, such as
pain at the site of injection or
symptoms resembling a mild case
of the flu, are greatly outweighed
by the protection offered by the
vaccine.
The COVID-19 vaccines are
becoming available from multiple
pharmaceutical companies. Some
require two doses to be fully effective,
but other vaccines in development
require only one dose. The
safety of the public is a top priority,
and the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention have developed
v-safe, a smartphone-based
tool that uses text messages and
online surveys to follow individuals
after they are vaccinated. The
tool allows users to report symptoms
and side effects quickly and
easily, and to receive guidance on
what to do for any side effects that
occur.
The National League for Nursing
also emphasizes the importance
of vaccine uptake in Black,
Latino, and Native American communities,
many of which are medically
underserved in the best of
times. Nurses and nurse educators
can do their part to increase trust
and vaccine acceptance in these
communities,
“Efforts to promote vaccine uptake
in the Black community must
directly confront and address the
deep historical traumas that have
created high levels of distrust in the
COVID-19 vaccine, and the government
and healthcare system
overall,” according to a survey on
COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in
Black and Latino communities
conducted by Langer Research Associates.
Latino communities have experienced
an especially high burden
of COVID-19 infections but
the survey data suggests that resistance
to vaccination is lower in
these communities compared to
Black communities.
Overall, equity and access are
key to protecting the public, and
messaging about the importance of
getting a vaccine as soon as it is
available should be “open, honest,
and comprehensive,” according to
the National League for Nursing.
For more information about
how nurses and nurse educators
are taking the lead in educating the
public about the safety and importance
of COVID-19 vaccination,
visit NLN.org.
About the National League for Nursing
Dedicated to excellence in nursing, the National League for Nursing is the premier organization for nurse faculty and leaders in nursing education. The NLN offers professional development, networking opportunities, testing services, nursing research grants, and public policy initiatives to its 40,000 individual and 1,200 institutional members, comprising nursing education programs across the spectrum of higher education and health care organizations. Learn more at NLN.org.
