Don’t boil the ocean: Reach passive positives
The 2026 fall vaccines should be available, for free, to everyone who needs them.
The YLE experts advise against attempting the impossible task of "boiling the ocean" when it comes to the 2026 fall vaccine rollout. Instead, their focus should be on a specific subset of the population they call "passive positives." These are individuals who may not be opposed to vaccination, but they have questions or face logistical challenges that prevent them from getting vaccinated.
To better understand passive positives, YLE hosted a webinar last week, featuring clinicians, pharmacists, school nurses, community health workers, and public health departments. The attendees shared valuable insights and practical strategies for reaching out to this group. Dr. David Higgins and Dr. Ben Rosenberg were the key speakers, offering their expertise on the scale of passive positives in the United States and providing actionable steps for connecting with them.
The webinar was interactive, with a skit included to engage the audience. Paid subscribers can access the recorded session for more in-depth information. Despite the effort to answer all the questions posed during the webinar, some were left unanswered. Therefore, as a follow-up, David, Ben, and the host answered the top eight questions raised by the participants.
Written by urgent.news from Your Local Epidemiologist's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
