Instagram, market data and special clinics aim to entice younger people to get COVID-19 shots

The public health units in Hamilton and the Niagara Region are getting creative to encourage younger people to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

In Niagara, where vaccination rates are lower for those between 12 and 40, public health officialsare using Instagram Live sessions andmarket data the kind companies use to sell you items based on your interests.

"We've been using that to market health messaging to people and try to sell people healthy behaviours. One thing we think we can do with that is also try andfigure outhow do we sell a vaccination message," said Dr. Mustafa Hirji, acting medical officer of health in Niagara.

Both Hamilton and Niagara have also set up specialized clinics for youth,as the tworegionstryto keep the vaccination rate trendingup, especially as the COVID-19 delta variant which is also known as B.1.617.2andfirst appeared in India continues to be a concern.

"This particular delta variant does look like it's more transmissible ... that's absolutely the number one piece at this point, in terms of getting our vaccine ratesup for both first and second doses," said Dr. Elizabeth Richardson,Hamilton's medical officer of health.

In Hamilton, a delta hotspot, roughly72 per cent of adults and 55 per cent of people aged 12 to 17 have had at least one dose. In Niagara, 64.7per cent of residents have been vaccinated.

And while Hamilton's goal is to reach at least 75 per cent, Richardsonsaid she is optimistic about the potential.

"It's just two per cent of people who really don't want to be vaccinated," she said.

"For the remainder, it is bound to those issues about information, [waiting] some time to see what happens,access, other things that are a greater focus for them like keeping a roof over their head and food on the table or systemic barriers due to racism."

But many public health units have started to see the vaccination rate slow after70 to 75 per cent of people get theirshots.

Vaccination rates approaching ceiling

Hirji said while the informal goal inNiagara is to vaccinate 80 to 85 per cent of people, the region is already starting to reach a "softceiling."

"We're creating groups that are less enthusiastic and not jumping as soon as appointments are available."

Richardson said the local public health unit has been working with community organizationsto raise the vaccination rate. The city also has vaccine ambassadors to encourage people to get a shot.

"[People from the] community will say to us, 'People tend to be in the park after dinner,' and so our vaccine ambassadors are down there and they have a way to sign people directly up for a clinic and they sign 40 or 50 people up for a clinic the next day," she said.

Hirjiadded that teenagers and young adultswant convenienceand timeliness, which can be done if more appointments open up soon.

No going back to normal

Richardson said local public health will create specialfirst-dose appointments anyone trying to book a first shot while others are getting their second jab. Hirji echoed the importance of two doses.

"With one dose, your protection is much worse."

On Monday during a media briefing, Richardson said Hamilton's vaccination rate for two doses should be within the mid-70s by the end of the summer.

She and Hirji both said following public health measures is the other key against COVID-19 besides vaccination.

The ultimate goal is to reach such low levels of COVID-19 in the community that fewer variants pop up and spread.

But Richardson saidpeople shouldn't expect things to return to thenormal they knew before the pandemic.

"It's quite amazing that 18 months almost into this pandemic and we all still have a hankering to go back to old ways but we're really discovering together what those new ways are," she said.

"I heard a lot from people, 'I haven't had a cold in 18 months, this is really fantastic.' Well, what did we learn about infection control that we want to keep as we go forward?"