Introduction
COVID-19 is a new infectious disease and became a pandemic that caused havoc to the lives and livelihoods of many people. The WHO declared the disease a global pandemic on 11th March 2020 (Sallam, 2021). The March 2020 declaration pointed to over 120,000 confirmed cases of the disease that spread across more than 120 countries worldwide, and there was a high risk of further spread to other countries and territories (Dhama et al., 2021). Globally, as of 14th November 2021, there have been 254,141,467 cases of COVID-19, inclusive of more than 5,116,000 deaths, reported to the WHO (COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, 2021). It is an infectious disease that continues to spread and poses a massive problem to the global health system. COVID-19 is a prolonged challenge until the population achieves herd immunity or there is an effective vaccine. Consequently, a vaccine is essential for many people to reduce some measures to curb spreading the virus.
Public health measures, including social distance, restricted movement, compulsory quarantine, and the isolation meant to reduce the spread of COVID-19, will continue until enough vaccines are available for most people in the world. Vaccines trigger the immune system of a person to develop permanent protection against certain diseases. Nevertheless, there is hesitation about the COVID-19 vaccine concerning its effectiveness and safety among the population. Some obstacles preventing effective vaccine uptake are fear of side effects, preliminary clinical trials, and rumors of adding more active viruses (Dhama et al., 2021). People should know that COVID-19 vaccines have undergone several clinical trials and are safe and effective (Mannan & Farhana, 2020). The potential benefits of the vaccine outweigh the dangers of getting infected with the coronavirus. The FDA has approved and allowed the COVID-19 vaccines to be used based on findings from various clinical trials (Sallam, 2021). Therefore, it is vital to becoming vaccinated as COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective for public use.
Objectives of the Campaign
The COVID-19 Awareness Campaign is meant to minimize the susceptibility to the virus and its adverse effects. It follows the CDC’s suggestions to protect yourself and others as it is the best protection from the disease (Mannan & Farhana, 2020). The following are specific objectives for this awareness campaign:
- To encourage more uptake of COVID-19 vaccines;
- To minimize the overall disease severity and deaths;
- To prove that vaccines are safe and effective; and
- To educate the population on the benefits of vaccination against the virus
Target Audience
The target population for vaccination is people who are 16 years and older and are unvaccinated. Older adults are encouraged to get vaccinated first due to their weak immunity (Weintraub et al., 2021). All healthcare providers, public officers, and those providing essential services get vaccinated are adults with pre-existing conditions, such as auto-immune disorders, to go for vaccination (Weintraub et al., 2021). In general, vaccination is targeted to everyone regardless of age though more studies are being done to determine how persons below 15 years will be vaccinated.
Methods for Implementation
Social gatherings and group meetings are not possible during this pandemic due to containment measures implemented by different countries worldwide. To reach many people, the message about vaccination would be spread through social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (Mannan & Farhana, 2020). These platforms would be used to inform the population about the available vaccines and their side effects. The awareness campaign can utilize mainstream media, such as television stations and radio stations, to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine (Weintraub et al., 2021). Virtual group meetings (like Zoom) and educational materials, such as articles, flyers, and posters, show the advantages and disadvantages of the vaccine.
Virtual meetings, television stations, and radio stations invite health professionals or vaccine experts to explain the vaccines to the population. Experts should demonstrate how vaccines work and their benefits during this pandemic (Weintraub et al., 2021). Such forums allow people to ask questions regarding vaccines, and experts will quickly respond to those questions.
Information to Convey
Is COVID-19 Vaccine Safe?
Yes, the available vaccines are safe and effective and have been authorized by FDA and recommended by various Advisory Committees on Immunization Standards and Practices (Dhama et al., 2021). Vaccines have undergone a requisite number of clinical trials and are approved by relevant state agencies for public use (Mannan & Farhana, 2020). However, the development of these vaccines was quick, safety concerns were considered.
Is COVID-19 Vaccine Free?
Vaccines are free, and no one is allowed to pay for the vaccines. There are no cost-sharing barriers on the available vaccines, and any balance billing or charging vaccine recipients is prohibited based on CDC recommendations (Dhama et al., 2021). Free vaccination goes to all people regardless of having health insurance cover or possessing any insurance coverage.
How Many Doses are Needed?
COVID-19 vaccines are given to people based on the recommended requirements and conditions, such as the number of doses and number of days between one dose and the other dose. The table below shows the breakdown of the number of doses and time differences for the three vaccines.
Table 1: Vaccines and Dosage
Note. From “COVID-19 Vaccine to vaccination: Why leaders must invest in delivery strategies now: Analysis describes lessons learned from past pandemics and vaccine campaigns about the path to successful vaccine delivery for COVID-19, “ by Weintraub et al., 2021. Health Affairs, 40(1), p. 33-41.
People should stick to complete vaccination to prevent the spreading of the disease and reduce the risk of getting it. Every person should get vaccinated to achieve 100% vaccination to the whole population. It is known that vaccines reduce symptoms, but the learning of protection against the virus is still ongoing (Sallam, 2021). Thus, continue adhering to COVID-19 preventive measures and protocols, such as social distancing, wearing masks, and avoiding public gatherings even after receiving complete vaccination.
Campaign Slogan: Be counted. Go for vaccination!
Evaluation Strategy
The strategy ensures that the target population books their vaccination schedule and is willing to get vaccinated. The vaccination awareness program will be effective if the target population gets full COVID-19 vaccination.
Timeline for the Campaign
The Vaccination Awareness Campaign has to continue due to its relevance and timing. The campaign timeline will continue as long as the disease is still with us. But in the scenario where the pandemic will be declared, it is no longer with us, and life returns to normalcy after attaining herd immunity. Thus, the timeline for the campaign depends on the end of the pandemic, which is still unknown.
References
COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic (2021).Worldometers. Web.
Dhama, K., Sharun, K., Tiwari, R., Dhawan, M., Emran, T. B., Rabaan, A. A., & Alhumaid, S. (2021). COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy–Reasons and solutions to achieve a successful global vaccination campaign to tackle the ongoing pandemic. Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics, 17(10), 3495-3499.
Mannan, D. K. A., & Farhana, K. M. (2020). Knowledge, attitude and acceptance of a COVID-19 vaccine: A global cross-sectional study. International Research Journal of Business and Social Science, 6(4), 1-23.
Sallam, M. (2021). COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy worldwide: A concise, systematic review of vaccine acceptance rates. Vaccines, 9(2), 160.
Weintraub, R. L., Subramanian, L., Karlage, A., Ahmad, I., & Rosenberg, J. (2021). COVID-19 Vaccine to vaccination: Why leaders must invest in delivery strategies now: Analysis describes lessons learned from past pandemics and vaccine campaigns about the path to successful vaccine delivery for COVID-19. Health Affairs, 40(1), 33-41.