COVID-19 Vaccine and Planning a Wedding

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COVID-19 Vaccine and Planning a Wedding

If you’re like many engaged couples, your wedding plans include health measures against COVID-19. Some subjects, such as vaccination, can be touchy for a small minority of your guests. So what can you do? Keep reading to learn why some aren’t getting vaccinated, plus how you can develop a diplomatic approach while keeping everyone safe.

Vaccination Success in Canada

Canada’s COVID-19 vaccination rate is among the highest in the world. Our World in Data reveals that nearly 74% of the population is fully inoculated as of October 23, 2021. It currently has the 10th highest vaccination rate in the world, just below Uruguay and South Korea.

Despite our country’s stellar efforts, some hesitancy remains about the COVID-19 vaccine among a few Canadians. An October 2021 piece in The Conversation mentions that around 2.1 million Canadians are uncertain about getting the shot. That’s about 7% of the adult population. Some of them are on the fence, while others are steadfast in their refusal.

What Prompts Vaccine Hesitancy

It’s easy to dismiss all the holdouts as being selfish and irresponsible, but vaccine hesitancy isn’t always cut-and-dried. There’s no single reason people are avoiding getting inoculated against COVID-19. Some are concerned about vaccine safety. Others want more information about how the vaccines were developed, plus more transparency about clinical trials and potential side effects.

For some Canadians, inoculation isn’t just a fact-based decision. A September 2021 article in The Conversation points to other psychological factors at work: denial, anxiety, and emotional fatigue, to name a few. Others are a bit more complex. Feelings of exclusion and rejection, for instance, can lead to greater defiance and perhaps feelings of superiority over those who choose inoculation. Some people won’t get vaccinated because their friends and loved ones don’t. Others believe it to violate their sense of autonomy.

Helpful Vaccine Tips for Your Wedding

No doubt you’re already thinking of safeguarding your guests’ health at your wedding. Wedding Wire Canada offers information on current COVID health measures in each province. Keep in mind that most call for smaller public gatherings and mask-wearing. Some also require proof of vaccination or negative test results. Having this info can help you draft your wedding safety plan. The Knot’s Esther Lee shares advice on how to communicate it effectively to your attendees.

Thanks to Canada’s higher inoculation rates, most of your guests should be fully vaccinated. You’re less likely to encounter holdouts than your U.S. counterparts. Still, it doesn’t hurt to be prepared. A July 2021 article in Brides offers some great suggestions:

  • Don’t be afraid to ask guests to be fully vaccinated by your event date.
  • If you can allow unvaccinated guests, ask for proof of a negative COVID test.
  • Consider temperature testing before guests enter your venue.

Behind all the reasons for vaccine hesitancy are real people with real emotions. Whether you decide to try to sway their views is your decision, but American journalist Beth Teitell provides some helpful advice. Meet them at their level with approaches that speak to them — empathy, myth debunking, providing a ride to the nearest vaccine site, offering to go with them, and so forth.

Protecting Yourselves and Your Guests

Weddings have changed a lot in the last two years. We went from mid-sized affairs and large soirees to live-streamed nuptials and intimate celebrations. Some of us keep hoping for a return to “normal,” whatever that means. When planning your nuptials, you can institute health measures that include requesting everyone to be fully vaccinated. Empathy and diplomacy are best when communicating with unvaccinated people, but don’t make exceptions to your guidelines. After all, it’s your responsibility to ensure your guests’ safety as best as possible.

COVID-19 Vaccine and Planning a Wedding

If you’re like many engaged couples, your wedding plans include health measures against COVID-19. Some subjects, such as vaccination, can be touchy for a small minority of your guests. So what can you do? Keep reading to learn why some aren’t getting vaccinated, plus how you can develop a diplomatic approach while keeping everyone safe.

Vaccination Success in Canada

Canada’s COVID-19 vaccination rate is among the highest in the world. Our World in Data reveals that nearly 74% of the population is fully inoculated as of October 23, 2021. It currently has the 10th highest vaccination rate in the world, just below Uruguay and South Korea.

Despite our country’s stellar efforts, some hesitancy remains about the COVID-19 vaccine among a few Canadians. An October 2021 piece in The Conversation mentions that around 2.1 million Canadians are uncertain about getting the shot. That’s about 7% of the adult population. Some of them are on the fence, while others are steadfast in their refusal.

What Prompts Vaccine Hesitancy

It’s easy to dismiss all the holdouts as being selfish and irresponsible, but vaccine hesitancy isn’t always cut-and-dried. There’s no single reason people are avoiding getting inoculated against COVID-19. Some are concerned about vaccine safety. Others want more information about how the vaccines were developed, plus more transparency about clinical trials and potential side effects.

For some Canadians, inoculation isn’t just a fact-based decision. A September 2021 article in The Conversation points to other psychological factors at work: denial, anxiety, and emotional fatigue, to name a few. Others are a bit more complex. Feelings of exclusion and rejection, for instance, can lead to greater defiance and perhaps feelings of superiority over those who choose inoculation. Some people won’t get vaccinated because their friends and loved ones don’t. Others believe it to violate their sense of autonomy.

Helpful Vaccine Tips for Your Wedding

No doubt you’re already thinking of safeguarding your guests’ health at your wedding. Wedding Wire Canada offers information on current COVID health measures in each province. Keep in mind that most call for smaller public gatherings and mask-wearing. Some also require proof of vaccination or negative test results. Having this info can help you draft your wedding safety plan. The Knot’s Esther Lee shares advice on how to communicate it effectively to your attendees.

Thanks to Canada’s higher inoculation rates, most of your guests should be fully vaccinated. You’re less likely to encounter holdouts than your U.S. counterparts. Still, it doesn’t hurt to be prepared. A July 2021 article in Brides offers some great suggestions:

  • Don’t be afraid to ask guests to be fully vaccinated by your event date.
  • If you can allow unvaccinated guests, ask for proof of a negative COVID test.
  • Consider temperature testing before guests enter your venue.

Behind all the reasons for vaccine hesitancy are real people with real emotions. Whether you decide to try to sway their views is your decision, but American journalist Beth Teitell provides some helpful advice. Meet them at their level with approaches that speak to them — empathy, myth debunking, providing a ride to the nearest vaccine site, offering to go with them, and so forth.

Protecting Yourselves and Your Guests

Weddings have changed a lot in the last two years. We went from mid-sized affairs and large soirees to live-streamed nuptials and intimate celebrations. Some of us keep hoping for a return to “normal,” whatever that means. When planning your nuptials, you can institute health measures that include requesting everyone to be fully vaccinated. Empathy and diplomacy are best when communicating with unvaccinated people, but don’t make exceptions to your guidelines. After all, it’s your responsibility to ensure your guests’ safety as best as possible.

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