How A U.K. Imam Countered Vaccine Hesitancy And Helped Thousands Get The 'Jab'

Accredited social health activists (ASHA) across India fight COVID-19 related misinformation on WhatsApp. ASHAs provide basic health care to people in their villages, which puts them on the frontline of treating COVID-19 patients and educating people to dispel the many myths about the virus and its treatments. ASHAs' local interactions often identify prevailing myths, which they quickly dispel in their face-to-face exchanges and by posting in the many local WhatsApp groups that have been created. The local groups have been an effective mode of educating people and helped ASHAs gain villagers’ trust.

Vaccine Talk is a Facebook group for evidence-based discussion to help both pro- and anti-vaccine people wade through all of the conflicting, and oftentimes wrong, information about the COVID-19 vaccine. The group has a tough reputation because of its strict moderation system and rules of discourse. Each of the group’s 70,000 members was approved by an administrator to join and committed to a code of conduct. Users must be ready to provide citations within 24 hours of posting and the moderators don’t hesitate to kick out members who lack civility, misrepresent themselves, or make unsubstantiated claims.

Santa Clara County City officials, together with the digital marketing agency XOMAD, paid 49 mico-influencers to promote COVID-19 vaccines and dispel misinformation. The micro-influencers were paid between $200 and $2,500, depending on their number of followers, frequency of posts, and level of engagement. Over two months, the influencers published 339 posts across Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram, which received 2.5 million total views and impressions.

In Cuyahoga County, Ohio, a phone line has helped tens of thousands of residents access information about Covid-19 as well as make appointments to receive their vaccinations. The helpline is a "natural extension of the services" already provided by United Way of Greater Cleveland’s 211 HelpLink.

Community health workers are a key part of Connecticut's public health response to COVID-19, particularly in marginalized communities. CHWs connect people to health care and other services, like rental assistance, help with contact tracing, and effectively increased vaccinations by taking the time to answer questions and dispel misinformation. Living in the communities they serve is a critical part of the model’s success and helps clients trust them more readily. The state now offers a CHW certification program, but the largely grant-funded model would be more sustainable with steady funding.

Residents of California are working together to crowdsource where COVID-19 vaccinations are being offered, and who they're being offered to. While the state has failed to implement a transparent dissemination strategy, 70 volunteers joined forces to create a spreadsheet that keeps track of what clinics are offering the shot and what parameters must be met to receive it. Users have reported that they were able to schedule an appointment because of this effort.

After becoming a COVID-19 hotspot, Guadalupe built partnerships and built trust among community members to effectively track cases, dispel misinformation, and increase vaccinations. The Town Council partnered with Pascua Yaqui tribal leaders, the broader Maricopa County, Native Health, and a COVID-19 response team composed of faculty, staff, and students at Arizona State University to lower infection rates. A combination of at-home testing, contact tracing and, eventually, vaccination events helped, as did the use of promotoras – community health workers who talk with residents to help ease anxiety.

A pre-existing resource directory formed by a consortium of local groups addressing community health allowed St. Landry Parish to react quickly to the COVID-19 pandemic and deploy resources more effectively. The network was quickly mobilized and representatives from government agencies, the police, hospitals, and business owners met daily to coordinate care, answer questions and dispel misinformation, and eventually, ensure access to vaccines.

Wayanad is the first district in Kerala to have vaccinated the entire adult population with at least one COVID-19 vaccine. Rather than waiting for people to make appointments, officials went door-to-door providing all adults with appointment times. The district’s efforts started early, setting up vaccine infrastructure and assigning people appointment dates by where they live. Rapid Response Teams conducted outreach and education efforts, particularly among tribal populations, and made sure people showed up at their appointment. Getting vaccinated with their neighbors also decreased vaccine hesitancy.

The Greater Lowell Health Alliance offered COVID-19 vaccines using a “block party” model where community members enjoy free food, music, activities, and even childcare, while also having access to information about vaccines in multiple languages as well as the ability to actually get vaccinated. This model reduced barriers for immigrants, refugees, and other people who don’t speak English fluently, as well as caregivers who can’t attend vaccine appointments due to their caregiving responsibilities. The relaxed environment, where loved ones can support each other, increased comfort with getting the vaccine.