A Conversation Guide for Small Business Owners

Tips for a Conversation about COVID-19 Vaccines

1 Listen more than you talk.

This is a conversation, not a debate. It’s not your job to convince people to get vaccinated. Rather, you’re sharing information to help them make their decision. Be positive, inviting and respectful. Acknowledge “the choice is yours to make with your doctor or healthcare provider.”

2 Lead with empathy.

Respect people’s concerns and acknowledge that it’s ok for everyone—even you—to have questions about vaccines. Don’t talk down to people, lecture or make people feel guilty. Instead, be understanding, positive and hopeful. Listen for what’s holding people back then help them find their own reason to get vaccinated.

3 Facts about safety matter.

Don’t just say “the science is solid.” Provide facts about the safety and efficacy of vaccines using the talking points provided below. Remember, you shouldn’t give medical advice, so encourage people with more advanced questions to talk with their doctor or healthcare provider.  Finally, be sure to speak plainly and in a manner everyone will understand.

4 Emotions are important.

Show how vaccinations can help us get back to the things we love, like connecting with others, spending time with family and friends, traveling and going to events. Some people may feel frustrated that it is difficult to get an appointment. Listen for these feelings and share facts to help people work through their concerns and frustration.

5 Be inviting.

As more people get vaccinated, ask them to share their stories with others. Hearing from someone who’s already been vaccinated is one of the best ways to put others at ease. Celebrate the people who have taken this step for their health and the health of others.

6 Be authentic.

Share why you’re vaccinated and why vaccines are important to you and your family.

Sample Talking Points

• There are multiple COVID-19 vaccines that have been granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This means the clinical evidence for the vaccines have met the agency's rigorous scientific standards and are considered to be safe and effective. They have been studied in clinical trials with large and diverse groups of people, of various ages, races and ethnicities.
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• The FDA has given full approval to both the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines for adults ages 16 and older. Full FDA approval takes longer than Emergency Use Authorization because more data needs to be processed and reviewed over a longer period of time. When a product is fully approved by the FDA, patients can be assured that its recommendation is grounded in large amounts of scientific data.
  
  NEW! While all the COVID-19 vaccines have been proven safe and effective, adults who still have concerns about the cutting-edge science of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines have a new option based on old technology: the Novavax vaccine. It works on the same, well-established process that vaccines have used for 30 years. It uses harmless proteins of the COVID-19 virus to trigger a response from your immune system when it recognizes those proteins again if you’re infected by the virus. That method of priming your immune system also results in fewer side effects after vaccination.
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• Vaccines teach our immune systems how to recognize and fight the virus that causes COVID-19 without having to get sick or put yourself and others at risk of severe illness and death.
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• Getting vaccinated is a much safer way to build protection than getting the disease. COVID-19 can have serious, long-term or life-threatening complications, and there is no way to know how COVID-19 will affect you. And if you get infected, you could spread the disease to friends, family and others around you.
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• Evidence is emerging that people get better protection by being fully vaccinated, compared with having had COVID-19. One study showed that unvaccinated people who already had COVID-19 are more than twice as likely to get the virus again compared to people who are fully vaccinated.
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• You may have some side effects after getting vaccinated. That’s a normal sign that your body is building protection—and they should go away within a few days. Your arm may be sore or swollen. You may also feel tired, have a headache, fever, or chills. This does not mean you have COVID-19—in fact, it’s not possible to get COVID-19 from vaccines.
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• Vaccines are being administered by trained health professionals. Some people might be offered a vaccine that requires two doses, given several weeks apart, while other people might be offered a single-dose vaccine. It may take several weeks after vaccination for your body to be ready to fight the virus if you are exposed.
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• We get the strongest protection when we keep our vaccinations up to date with a booster shot, which is recommended for all adults and children 6 months and older. The vaccines are still highly effective at preventing serious illness, but boosters restore the protection, even against mild cases, that wanes over time.
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• A booster dose is available five months after receiving a second shot of the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, and two months after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
  
  
  As of September 1, 2022, the CDC now recommends that all adults and children 6 months and older receive the updated COVID-19 booster shot that has been specially designed to strengthen immunity against the newer Omicron subvariants.
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  People who have recently been infected with COVID-19 may wait 3 months from the time they were infected before getting a vaccine (if they are unvaccinated) or a booster.
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• The new booster restores the protection of vaccines, even against mild cases, that wanes over time. It is our best protection against COVID-19.
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• Now is the time to get the updated booster. If you are vaccinated, but haven’t already received the updated booster, you are eligible today. Not sure if you received the new booster? If you received your last booster shot before September 1st, 2022, you are eligible for the updated booster.
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  The updated booster works. It has been proven to reduce your risk of getting COVID by about 50% compared to people who’ve gone 8 months or more without getting boosted.
  
  
  The updated booster is safe. The process for creating the updated COVID-19 booster was similar to the one medical experts use each year to update the flu vaccine.
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  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) monitor vaccines for safety. It has found that side effects from the updated boosters are consistent with those from the original booster, and are less common and less serious than health impacts associated with COVID-19 illness.

• COVID-19 is still a serious threat — but the new booster provides protection.
• They help protect me and the people I love from getting COVID-19.
• They reduce hospitalizations and save lives.
• They reduce the risk of long COVID.
• We all want to protect our families, friends and loved ones. We want to get back to the moments we missed with our family and friends.

• Everyone in the United States ages 6 months and older is eligible to receive free COVID-19 vaccines, regardless of immigration status. You don’t need health insurance to get vaccinated for COVID-19.
• Vaccines are widely available at more than 80,000 locations across the country, including at over 40,000 retail pharmacies. Ninety percent of Americans live within five miles of a vaccine site.
• Search vaccines.gov, text your ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233 to find locations near you.
• In order to protect yourself and prevent the spread, it’s important that you get vaccinated at your earliest opportunity.

• If you are sick with COVID-19 or think you might have COVID-19, stay home except to get medical care, separate yourself from other people and take other precautions to prevent the spread.
• People who are exposed to the virus are no longer recommended to quarantine for 5 days.
• Instead, they should wear a high-quality mask for 10 days and get tested on day 5.
• This now applies equally to people whether they are up to date on their vaccinations or not.
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• The CDC’s COVID-19 Community Levels offer the latest recommendations for masking, based on the local risks in our community. I will always support employees who wish to maintain the extra protection that wearing a mask provides.

Note: These are examples of ways that small businesses can help. Not every small business will be able to offer these types of benefits or incentives, but you are encouraged to consider offering what you can.

• I will offer paid time off to any employee or worker who gets vaccinated and boosted. If you do experience side effects, I’ll offer paid leave to help you fully recover.
• I will offer paid time off to working parents who choose to vaccinate eligible children against COVID-19, including time to care for children recovering from potential side effects.
• I will provide a transportation voucher (i.e. Uber/Lyft gift card, bus pass, subway card, etc,) to help cover your transportation costs to and from a vaccine site.
• I will reimburse your meals on the day(s) you get vaccinated, up to $[amount].
• I will reimburse you for child care expenses during your vaccine appointment(s), up to $[amount].

Conversation Starters

• I thought we could start with a conversation about how everyone is feeling about vaccines, and what information you need to answer any questions. My role is to support you and help you get the answers you need.
• Has anyone here gotten vaccinated/boosted and want to share your story?
• Does anyone want to share how COVID-19 vaccines have helped them reconnect with family and friends, travel, attend events or take part in other activities?
• Is there anything I can do to make it easier for you to get vaccinated or boosted at your earliest opportunity?
• For those of you still deciding, I have some information to share, and then let’s talk through your questions. I won’t be able to answer them all, but I’ll do my best to make sure you know where to get answers.
• And if there are any questions I can’t answer, I encourage you to ask them to your doctor or another healthcare professional.

It is normal to have questions.

• It’s normal to be cautious when something new comes along. Getting informed about COVID-19 vaccines is an important step to help us stop this pandemic.
• Talk to your doctor or healthcare provider. We all need to be comfortable with our decisions and your doctor can help.
• OK...what questions do you have? (For answers to frequently asked questions about COVID-19 vaccines, download our employee handout or visit GetVaccineAnswers.org.)

Resources for Employees

• Small Business Guide to COVID-19 Vaccines (Also in Spanish.)
• Handout:  COVID-19 Vaccines: What You Need to Know (Also in Spanish.)
• Handout:  COVID-19 Vaccines: Frequently Asked Questions (Also in Spanish.)
• Handout:  COVID-19 Vaccines: Myths & Facts (Also in Spanish.)
• Videos: Vaccines 101: An Educational Series
• Videos: The Conversation: Between Us, About Us
• Dealing with Pandemic Stress & Anxiety