Why telling stories could be a more powerful way of convincing some people to take a COVID vaccine than just the facts

Abstract

Scientists don’t know exactly what percentage of the population will need to get a COVID vaccine to achieve herd immunity. Some diseases, such as whooping cough, need very high rates of vaccination between 90-95%. The rise of new, more infectious coronavirus variants might mean even more people may need to be vaccinated against COVID than we initially thought. One question therefore becomes crucial: how will governments convince enough people to get vaccinated to achieve herd immunity? One method might be to use emotional storytelling to sway people who aren’t convinced by fact-based logical messaging.