Trust and relationships key to overcoming vaccine hesitancy, says doctor

Second doses of COVID-19 vaccine have outpaced first doses for more than a month, a trend that has troubled public health experts as the province re-opens with only 61.83 per cent of its total population having received an initial jab.

Of those eligible to receive the vaccine in Saskatchewan, 73 per cent of people have received at least one dose.

As far as those still unvaccinated, it would be a mistake to assume that all of them are opposed to getting the shot, according to Dr. Eben Strydom, president of the Saskatchewan Medical Association.

Strydom says only a “small minority” of people are true anti-vaxxers. Others might have already had the first dose but schedules or complacency get in the way of getting a second one.

Then, there are those who are hesitant because they have questions about the vaccines’ safety or efficacy. Strydom says they need help to overcome their hesitancy.

A family doctor based in Melfort, Strydom fields many questions about how the vaccines were developed so quickly, about testing, ingredients and potential side effects. But he finds that the vaccine-hesitant can easily be convinced to take the shot.

“It’s not hard at all. When I answer their questions and they’re comfortable with that, we even book some of the appointments for some of them,” he said.

“Some people need a little bit of time to think about stuff, (to) come back a second time with further questions about it, and then go for the immunization.”

However, he says this is possible through the relationships he has built with patients, some of them of different generations from the same family. Trust was forged over time, from delivering preventative care to treating serious illnesses.

“Relationships are basically based on trust, and that’s what you need to communicate and to discuss difficult issues,” he said.

In a world where people get information from social media or word-of-mouth, Strydom says it’s helpful to have somebody you trust separating fact from fiction.

“I can help them to understand some of the issues a little bit better. I can put things into perspective.”

“So I think it’s easy for family doctors to help, to counsel patients on what to do, what to expect, and how to manage the small side effects that we have.”

With many people still unprotected from COVID-19, Strydom encouraged those with questions about the vaccine to speak to a healthcare provider.

What he wants to avoid is a resurgence of the virus, as seen in Europe and Australia.

“Even Israel, despite the fact that a large percentage of people are already vaccinated, so that would be the unvaccinated people.”