Essential Workers COVID-19 Vaccine Toolkit
Information for Employers and Employees
In some states, essential workers already have access to vaccines to help protect them against COVID-19. These vaccines will be available to essential workers across the nation soon. CDC has designed this toolkit to help employers educate their essential workers about this important prevention tool.
Who is this toolkit for?
This toolkit is designed for employers of essential workers. Essential workers perform duties across critical infrastructure sectors and maintain the services and functions that U.S. residents depend on daily. Examples of the many types of essential workers include police officers, firefighters, and people working in education, child care centers, and grocery stores.
Resources for Employers
What is the purpose of this toolkit?
This toolkit will help your organization share clear and accurate information to educate employees about COVID-19 vaccines, raise awareness about the benefits of vaccination, and address common questions and concerns.
How to Promote Vaccination in your Organizations
Coordinate with your Local Health Department
If you are not already working with your local health department, consider reaching out for assistance. The health department’s immunization program can help coordinate vaccination clinics, provide speakers for presentations, and offer other types of expertise.
- Adapt the key messages to the language, tone, and format that will resonate with your organization. You know what works for your employees.
- Customize the template letter and send or email it to your employees to introduce your COVID-19 vaccine educational activities.
- Print copies of the communication resources and use them as handouts or to hang in highly visible places in your offices, buildings, and other employee locations.
- Organize a COVID-19 vaccine presentation ppt icon[3.7 MB, 16 pages] (also available in Spanish ppt icon[4 MB]) for your employees and promote it via digital and employee communication channels. If you are able, organize a virtual presentation. If not, organize an in-person presentation following COVID-19 safety precautions. Ask if your local health department can provide a speaker if you do not have a health educator on staff.
- Have open discussions. Create and publicize a feedback mechanism for your employees to ask questions about COVID-19 vaccination (email inbox, phone number, point of contact).
- Acknowledge that certain communities and groups have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 infections and severe outcomes, and that some might have had previous experiences that affect their trust and confidence in the health system.
- Provide accurate information about the benefits, safety, side effects and vaccine effectiveness.
- Continue to educate your workforce via articles, blog posts, and social media posts. Tailor information for your community and include graphics if you can.
- Learn more about finding credible vaccine information. Get the facts to respond to misinformation you might encounter.
- Encourage leaders in your organizations to be vaccine champions and share testimonials about why they got vaccinated and promote their stories.
- Encourage social support. Invite your employees to wear stickers once they have been vaccinated and post vaccination selfies on social media.
Materials for Communicating with Your Employees
Information and Frequently Asked Questions
Use information on these websites to help answer questions about COVID-19 vaccine in your workplace. You can also download the FAQs.
- Introductory letter: Send this letter to encourage your branches, offices, or units to review and use the toolkit materials.
- Letter to your employees: Customize this letter about COVID-19 vaccination to send to your staff.
- Newsletter content: This short newsletter-style blurb can be widely distributed to share information on COVID-19 vaccines.
- COVID-19 Vaccine Basics (Slide Deck) ppt icon[4 MB, 16 pages] (also available in Spanish ppt icon[4 MB, 16 pages]): These basic slides about COVID-19 vaccines are for informational meetings within your organizations. You can use all or part of the set or also include your own organization’s information.
- Key messages: Use these key messages about COVID-19 vaccine to educate your employees.
- Address myths and promote facts: Proactively address and mitigate the spread and harm of misinformation by sharing credible and accurate information.
- V-safe: Encourage your employees who are vaccinated to enroll in v-safe and get answers to the frequently asked questions about V-safe.
Digital and Print Communication Resources
These digital and print communication resources may help explain, encourage, and support community members in their decision to get vaccinated. You can print and post them in your buildings and other employee locations. You can also use them on intranet pages or other websites that your staff frequently visit.
Essential Worker Posters
Posters to encourage essential workers to get a COVID-19 vaccine. On the job, and at home. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine adds one more layer of protection.
View and Download Posters (available in Spanish)
Infographics
These infographics explain how different types of COVID-19 vaccines work.
View and Download Infographics (also available in Spanish)
Fotonovela
This comic-book style graphic tells the story of a daycare worker’s decision to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
A safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine is now available (also available in Spanish and Haitian Creole)
Printable Stickers
Printable stickers for staff to handout to people who have received a COVID-19 vaccine.
Compatible with full-sheet sticker paper or standard precut 1 2/3” labels.
View and Download COVID-19 Vaccine Sticker (available in Spanish)
Social Media
These messages and images are for use on various social media channels that your organization uses, including Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. You can use them as-is with the hashtag #SleeveUp or include your own identity.
Sample Social Media Message
- Getting vaccinated is the best protection against getting sick with COVID-19. Visit https://vaccinefinder.orgexternal icon to locate a #COVID19 vaccine site near you.
- You are more than an essential worker; you are essential to your family. Visit https://vaccinefinder.orgexternal icon to find out how to get vaccinated against #COVID19 today.
- You have taken care of all of us. Now it’s time to take care of you. Visit https://vaccinefinder.orgexternal icon to find a #COVID19 vaccine site near you.
- Stay up to date with the facts about the #COVID19 vaccine. Visit cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines to learn more.
