Sask. vaccine sticker initiative great way to normalize process, say two experts

If you're on social media in Saskatchewan, you've probably seen people posing with their green sticker proudly showing the world they have gotten their COVID-19 vaccine. Two experts say the vaccine stickers are a good way to spread awareness and normalize the vaccine. 

Jane Caulfield, marketing lecturer at the University of Saskatchewan's Edwards School of Business, called the stickers "brilliant."

"It's a very simple design, it's a very simple image and it translates really well to selfies," she said in an interview. 

"We've been talking about herd immunity, but there's also this herd mentality where once we see our friends doing it or doing the cool things, we want to do it as well. And that's considered your reference group for lots of things that we do as consumers."

Caulfield added that the campaign was good from a health communications perspective because of its simplicity and how it shows that people you trust in your inner circle are getting the vaccine, making it easier to accept. 

Other provinces could pick it up too, she said. 

Timothy Caulfield (no relation), a law professor at the University of Alberta and Canada Research Chair in Health Law and Policy, said anything that helps normalize the process is valuable, especially in the face of misinformation about vaccines.

"I like those kinds of initiatives," he said. "They celebrate the science and make this sort of a joyful event."

He said vaccine hesitancy is going to be a real issue.

"As we get more and more of the individuals that are enthusiastic about vaccines covered, we're going to start bumping up against the hesitancy hurdle," he said. "Any little nudge, any little strategy that might push us in the right direction is a good thing."

He said that the other thing this strategy might do is offer a glimpse of the hope ahead. 

"It might remind people ... that there is a way out of the pandemic and that we can work together to get there."