Health communication strategies to promote Covid-19 Vaccination

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic there has been a tsunami of misinformation and conspiracy theories that have the potential to reduce vaccine uptake. The paper below aims to set out recommendations on a review of existing best practice guidance and aims to assist those responsible for promoting COVID-19 vaccine uptake to digest the mass of guidance that exists and formulate an effective relevant strategy. A summary of key guidelines is presented based on best practice guidance.

Read more: //www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7459701/

Digital technologies and platforms might offer the potential to improve vaccination coverage by taking into consideration the fact that there is no one-size-fits-all strategy. Efforts are needed to make sure that communication is evidence-based along with culturally and context-appropriate.

//www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.4161/hv.34313#
The following review article talks about different digital-based interventions to improve vaccine uptake and vaccine coverage. Interventions involving text or computerized messaging(reminders/recall), specific immunization campaign websites and personalized portals, and blogs were effective in enhancing vaccine acceptance. However, more research is needed to see whether smartphone applications and social networks(youtube and Facebook) increase immunization coverage and vaccination uptake or not.

The communication strategy that supports the COVID-19 vaccines should seeks to disseminate timely, accurate and transparent information about the vaccine to alleviate apprehensions about the same, ensure its acceptance and encourage its uptake. However, emphasizing some basic points timely may help to increase vaccine acceptance among the communities: 

1. simple, easy-to-understand literature availability;

2. messaging that emphasizes science over politics;

3. endorsements by diverse and well-regarded celebrities and opinion leaders; and

4. emphasis on facts and evidence over myths and disinformation.

Also, for the COVID-19 vaccine, attention must be given to rebuilding trust in communities that have historically experienced medical exploitation, unconsented experimentation, and social and economic marginalization.

In the paper “Design and Implementation of a Digital Vaccine Candidate for COVID-19 and its Evaluation via a Human Field Trial”  a digital solution for behavior change has been proposed with an objective to design and implement a Digital Vaccine candidate, which is a scientific, multidisciplinary, evidence-based digital therapeutic intervention to induce behavior change and learning, for the containment of COVID-19.

Digital Vaccines are digital therapeutics, which are evidence-based prevention approaches that use digital technologies delivered via smart-phones, tablets, etc. for bringing positive human behavior via neurocognitive training. They are gamified, digital interventions that draw from principles of neuroscience, psychology, Artificial Intelligence, influential computing and behavioral economics to provide safe low-risk mechanisms for dynamic neuro-behavioralphysiological modulation.

The Digital Vaccine will be administered via a gamified-mobile application that will be culturally sensitive and customizable. Also, the gamified application will involve personalization and localization to ensure that vaccine meets the requirements of each target audience from all diverse geographical settings.

Read this interesting paper here:

//www.cmu.edu/heinz/digital-vaccine-project/research/digital_vaccine_for_covid.html

@ Mahima

The article “Effectiveness of email-based reminders to increase vaccine uptake: a systematic review” explored the effectiveness of e -mail based reminder to increase vaccine uptake as compared to another reminders. It was concluded from experimental and heterogeneous studies email reminders increase vaccine uptake as compared to no reminders. However, when compared with other digital and or traditional reminder methods improvement was not much. They also concluded that different digital reminders are more effective than email alone. There is a need to identify best practice to integrate email communication in vaccine delivery and also immunization program should be supported and strengthened by technical infrastructures and new digital technologies

//www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X19314781

@mahimakaurAlong with this, we should also look at the vaccine acceptability strategies implemented for earlier infections. This paper talks about effectiveness and parental acceptability of a social networking intervention that sends weekly vaccination reminders and encourages exchange of SIV (Seasonal influenza vaccination)-related views and experiences among mothers via WhatsApp discussion groups for promoting childhood SIV. It was concluded that online information support can effectively promote mothers’ self-efficacy for taking children for SIV but alone it may not sufficient, but engagement of healthcare professionals in online discussions can bring about a positive change.

//www.jmir.org/2020/2/e16427/

To have a robust planning country has to be prepared before hand of any pandemic or any disease either it's Dengue or COVID-19. EHR, Digital Health can be big help in such case. In India, Adhar Card would be game leader in this. As per PM speech yesterday on television I could sensed that it is good for those who is having Adhar card but what about those who don't hold this identity. Also, there are political agendas for connecting Adhar Card with this vaccination, but on the same place there is no other way to track the individuals with and without vaccination, since this vaccination would take place in many levels... However, it is historic vaccination e-plan I have ever witness in India with the population of 136crores, it would be great move towards new normal of Indian healthcare with the use of Dashboard COVID Vaccine Intelligence Network (Co-WIN). which will generate real time data. Looking forward for this success. 

I found this article bit informative for detailed information:  

//www.timesnownews.com/india/article/heres-how-you-will-be-vaccinated-guidelines-by-health-ministry-for-covid-19-vaccination-across-india/694759  

Apart of misinformation, speculations about vaccine saftey, a trend policitizing the vaccination drive has alos began in India, with regional parties making atrocious claims (vaccine will make people sterile) this may not impact decision of educated and well aware folks, but certain sections of society may be influenced by these political malaligining of the campagin.

In the digital era, patients have access to health information from a variety of sources including the Internet and social media platforms. As social media platforms gain increasing popularity globally, there has been growing public health concerns regarding the impact of anti-vaccination content on downstream vaccine denial. This paper discusses, the current position of social media platforms in propagating vaccine hesitancy and explore next steps in how social media may be used to improve health literacy and foster public trust in vaccination. By incorporating simple steps such as:

• Leveraging social media platforms
• Structural change to social media networks
• Promoting information accuracy
• Framing messages
• Using narratives and leveraging celebrities
• Targeting parents and youth
• Recruiting research participants

Read more: //www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21645515.2020.1780846?src=recsys

Hesitancy to vaccine is widespread with variable and modifying results on uptake intentions. This review compared trends and synthesized observations of vaccine receptivity over time across US and international polls, assessing survey design influences and evaluating context to inform policies and practices. Declining vaccine acceptance (from >70% in March to <50% in October) with demographic, socioeconomic, and partisan divides was observed. Perceived risk, concerns over safety and efficacy issues, doctors’ recommendations, and inoculation history were common factors. Many receptive participants preferred to wait until others have taken the vaccine; mandates could increase resistance. To achieve herd immunity, communication campaigns are required urgently, focusing on transparency and rebuilding confidence in health authorities.

//www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/9/1/16

In the Scoping review on “Digital Gamification to Enhance Vaccine Knowledge and Uptake” Gamified digital tools have been identified, implemented and evaluated across diverse populations to increase vaccine knowledge and uptake.

Outcome was measured in terms of behavior, cognition, and usability/acceptability. It was reported gamified tools can enhance communication of vaccine related messages and contribute to increase vaccination uptake. It was found that game paradigms and gamification elements were diverse, but role play and a reward system were present in all studies.  Article concluded digital gamification has potential to increase vaccine knowledge and should be considered when designing vaccination-related interventions for the general public, young people and especially for those who are vaccine hesitant.

//games.jmir.org/2020/2/e16983

@harpreet yes Harpreet agree with you. 

There is extensive need of strategy for COVID 19 vaccination process to build consensus about the accessibility of vaccine for the population and secondly reduction of the fear and concerns related to vaccination. 

 According to WHO, vaccine hesitancy has been listed as one of the top ten health threats in the year 2019 under already existing vaccine programmes. With rapid vaccine development, virus mutation, misinformation and lack of clarity about COVID-19, the vaccine hesitancy was likely to happen. Vaccine hesitancy is dependent on various factors such as emotions, values, knowledge, beliefs and perceptions which are individual factors but there are number of external factors such social, cultural, political and historical factors. Year 2020 has drained people emotionally with restricted movements, the new norms, isolation, loss of near and dear ones, financial hardships, politicization of the pandemic, rapid development of the vaccine, misinformation and existence of anti-vaccination groups which non only affects the mental well-being of people but increases vaccine hesitancy.

Below mentioned paper talks about the role of emotions in creating effective communication strategies and addressing vaccine hesitancy

//www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10410236.2020.1838096

To come up with evidence based communication strategies which can’t be a generalized across all the population a deep research is needed to come up with tailored communication strategies for different populations. Below mentioned paper talks about effectiveness of using zoom, remote rapport, selfie consent for generating qualitative data in a pandemic like COVID-19. The existence of digital technology must be leveraged at the root cause level for understanding the reasons for vaccine hesitancy so as to come up with better digital solutions. Using this model, research can be conducted with different populations to understand their apprehensions, and various other factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy and tailored communication strategies can be created for addressing their vaccine hesitancy

//gh.bmj.com/content/6/1/e004193.abstract

@ashruti-bhatt The communication strategy is absolutely necessary at this point to inform people about the details. There is still a lot of vaccine hesitancy. Information on the COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination process reaches all people, across all states in the country. The strategy also seeks to build trust and enable greater confidence in the COVID-19 vaccine amongst all people by employing transparency in communication, while also managing any mis/disinformation and rumours around it.