As the world continues to grapple with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of vaccination has become increasingly clear.
As social workers, we play a vital role in promoting vaccination and ensuring that our clients and communities have access to the information and resources they need to make informed decisions about their health. The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) has been at the forefront of this effort through its Connect to End COVID-19 initiative, and fighting for policies that are important in the battle against COVID-19, and aid to those in need. In this blog post, we will explore the importance of COVID-19 vaccination, the role of social workers, clients in vaccine decision making, and the resources available through Connect to End COVID-19. The Importance of Covid-19 Vaccination: The COVID-19 virus is highly transmissible and can lead to severe illness and death. As of today, over 1.1 million Americans have died from COVID-19. The virus continues to take the lives of more than 250 people per day in the US and causes Long COVID in up to 30 percent of infected individuals. Additionally, the virus can cause new mental health disorders and exacerbate pre-existing ones, even in those who have had mild or asymptomatic infection. Fewer than 70 percent of Americans are fully vaccinated, and under 18 percent have received the recommended, updated booster dose that was approved in September 2022. Most of the people who have died of COVID-19 were unvaccinated, including many who became infected after the vaccines were available. Some subgroups with lower vaccination rates, such as those with certain pre-existing medical or mental health conditions, older adults, pregnant people, and certain racial/ethnic groups, are at a higher risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19. A key reason for this is vaccine hesitancy, which is a delay or refusal to receive a vaccine. Vaccine hesitancy is related to a variety of psychosocial factors and exacerbated by misinformation, which continues to circulate. Vaccination is the most effective way to protect ourselves from severe illness and death from COVID-19. This is particularly important for certain vulnerable populations, who are at a higher risk of severe outcomes. As we continue to live with the pandemic, it's crucial that as social workers, we all do our part to promote vaccination and ensure that everyone has access to accurate, science-based information about the vaccines. This includes providing education regarding the vaccine, as well as addressing barriers to vaccination, and advocating for policies that promote vaccination. As social workers, we have a unique role to play in this effort. By providing accurate and up-to-date information about the vaccine, removing barriers to vaccination, and advocating for policies that promote vaccination, we can help to protect ourselves, our clients, and our communities from COVID-19. What is the NASW and how do they promote COVID-19 vaccination? The NASW is the largest professional association of social workers in the United States, with over 110,000 members. The organization's mission is to enhance the professional growth and development of its members, to create and maintain professional standards, and to advance sound social policies that impact the communities in which they serve. One of the ways that the NASW promotes COVID-19 vaccination is through the Connect to End COVID-19 initiative. It is partnering in this national effort with the University of Texas/Austin School of Social Work, and the effort is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The initiative provides a variety of free resources for social workers and the public, including fact sheets, webinars, virtual trainings, and podcasts. A key focus is equipping social workers to talk with their vaccine hesitant clients about the vaccines, using modalities such as Motivational Interviewing. The webinars and trainings provide free CEUs. To learn more, go to https://www.socialworkers.org/Practice/Infectious-Diseases/COVID-19-Vaccine-Confidence The Role of Social Workers in Promoting Vaccination As social workers, we have a unique role to play in promoting COVID-19 vaccination. We work with a wide range of clients and communities, from vulnerable populations such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions, to marginalized groups such as people experiencing homelessness and individuals from racial and ethnic minority communities. One of the most important things we can do as social workers is to educate ourselves and our clients about the vaccine. This includes providing accurate and up-to-date information about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine, as well as addressing common concerns and myths about the vaccine. We can also work to remove barriers to vaccination by connecting our clients with resources such as transportation to vaccine clinics. We can also advocate for policies that promote vaccination and ensure that everyone has access to the vaccine. In conclusion, vaccination is a crucial tool in the fight against COVID-19, and social workers play an important role in promoting vaccination among the public. The NASW provides many resources to help social workers in this effort. It's important that we all get vaccinated to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our communities. We encourage everyone to talk to their healthcare providers about vaccination, and to take advantage of the resources available through Connect to End COVID-19. Together, we can help to bring an end to the pandemic and protect the health and well-being of all
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Dr. La'Tesha SampsonPresident and Founder of Great Joy Counseling & Consulting Services Archives
May 2023
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