It's time to check in with the people you care about

The more of us that are fully vaccinated, the more protection we will have against COVID-19. Having conversations with our loved ones is a key tool we can all use to help get us there.

As of the 5th of October, just 53% of the eligible population were fully vaccinated. 81% have had at least one dose, and 19% are still to be vaccinated. To keep us all safe, we urgently need to ramp this up!

This week, we need you to check in with your mates.

If you still need to get vaccinated, book yours here.

Here is how it’ll work:

1. Choose five people

Take a moment to think about five people who you are unsure if they’ve been vaccinated and give them a call or send them a text.

Here’s a simple opening line you could use: “Kia ora mate! I hope you’re really well. I’m just reaching out to some of the people I care about to check they’ve been vaccinated. Have you been vaccinated yet?”

If they are vaccinated, ask them to commit to checking in with 5 people they know, and do the same. We need to have these conversations with as many people as possible, and we can all help. 

If they’re not vaccinated, work with them to make a plan to do it. We've added some helpful resources below. 

If they’ve had just 1 vaccine, talk to them about potentially getting their second vaccine sooner and work with them to make a plan to do it.

2. Share it and get others involved!

Once you’re finished, share your work on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or even TikTok and tag 5 people to do it next. Below you can find some images you could share with if you’d like to use them.

Remember that if you come across someone who is adamant that they won’t get the vaccine, it's okay to leave them be. By getting in touch, you will have at least planted a seed and let them know you care about them. Getting into an argument and causing stress to your relationship will simply make them less likely to change their mind down the track.

Resources to help:

To help, here are some resources to support you to have conversations with people who have questions about the vaccine.

• RNZ interview: Having those conversations about COVID-19
  
  
• COVID-19 vaccination: Your questions answered
  
  
• NZ Vaccine Facts — Learn about the pandemic and getting vaccinated
  
  
• How to talk to your friends and whānau about the COVID-19 vaccine
  
  
• About the Pfizer vaccine
  
  
• COVID-19 vaccine fact sheets
  
  
• How to get vaccinated
  
  
• Find out more about Super Saturday

Feel free to download these images to share on your social media.