PHOENIX — As more Arizonans receive the COVID-19 vaccine and begin gathering more, etiquette experts are offering guidance on how to steer clear of uncomfortable questions.
The pandemic has required new social skills
“You know our social skills are changing by the minute,” said SueAnn Brown, owner of It's All About Etiquette.
It was hard enough getting used to Zoom etiquette, now there are a few unspoken rules when it comes to the vaccine that might come in handy to know.
Is it OK to ask others if they are getting the vaccine?
"The biggest thing is asking people if they're getting the vaccine or have they had the vaccine,” she said.
Before you ask, Brown says you should know your audience.
"Because there are people that want the vaccine and there are some that just don't really know if they want it or not yet and then there are some people that just don't want it,” Brown said.
“If you are dealing with someone you just met, it's probably not a good idea to ask them those questions."
If it's a family member or good friend, she says it’s OK to ask those questions, but if it’s a co-worker?
"You can just have a conversation with them and if they want to tell you, that's fine and if not, that's OK too… because you don't want to hurt anybody's feelings," she said.
Is it proper etiquette to post selfies with your vaccination card online?
What about when it comes to posting pictures of yourself on social media with your vaccination card?
"That's got a lot of your information on it, so I would say please don't do that,” Brown said.
“But if somebody is really happy that they got the vaccination, we should be happy for them too!"
It's important to be kind to others, regardless of their opinion.
People with medical conditions may want to keep those issues personal
"Some people can't have the vaccine because of a medical condition... they probably won't want to divulge their medical problems,” Brown added.
At the end of the day, remember getting the vaccine is a personal decision for everyone.
“Not everybody is like everybody else…we just have to be polite to everybody and try to get through all of this and hopefully it will all simmer down," she said.
The bottom line? Proper etiquette is all about making those around you feeling comfortable, no matter what the topic of conversation is.
Brown says treat conversations surrounding the vaccine like you do religion and politics: Approach with caution.