Vaccinate with Confidence COVID-19 Vaccines Strategy for Adults

Share clear, complete, and accurate messages about COVID-19 vaccines and take visible actions to build trust in the vaccine, the vaccinator, and the system in coordination with federal, state, and local agencies and partners.

Action Steps:

• Communicate transparently about the process for authorizing, approving, making recommendations for, monitoring the safety of, distributing, allocating, and administering COVID-19 vaccines, including data handling.
• Provide regular updates on: benefits, safety, side effects and effectiveness; clearly communicate what is not known.
• Proactively address and help stop the spread and harm of misinformation via social media platforms, partners, and trusted messengers.

Promote confidence among healthcare personnel* in their decision to get vaccinated and to recommend vaccination to their patients.

Action Steps:

• Engage national professional associations, health systems, and healthcare personnel often and early to ensure a clear understanding of the vaccine development and approval processes, new vaccine technologies, and the benefits of vaccination.
• Ensure healthcare systems and medical practices are equipped to create a culture that builds confidence in COVID-19 vaccination.
• Strengthen the capacity of healthcare professionals to have empathetic vaccine conversations with their patients, address myths and common questions, provide tailored vaccine information to patients, and use motivational interviewing techniques when needed.

*Healthcare Personnel = All staff working in healthcare settings, including physicians, Physician Assistants/Nurse Practitioners, nurses, allied health professionals, pharmacists, support staff, social workers, and community health workers.

Engage communities in a sustainable, equitable, and inclusive way—using two-way communication to listen, build trust, and increase collaboration.

Action Steps:

• Empower vaccine recipients to share their personal stories and reasons for vaccination within their circles of influence.
• Work with health departments and national partners to engage communities around vaccine confidence and service delivery strategies, including adaptation of vaccination provider sites to meet community needs.
• Collaborate with trusted messengers—such as faith-based and community leaders—to tailor and share culturally relevant messages and materials with diverse communities.