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Service Learning Opportunity
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Working with UNITY in Action Magazine this past semester has allowed me to get in contact with my community and learn about the various factors contributing to the greater issue of vaccine hesitancy that many neighborhoods throughout the United States continue to face. I worked with three other University of Illinois students to create an FAQ flyer that is accessible to general members of the community. Translating more complicated biology of how the vaccine was made into lay mans terms makes this flyer reach people coming from a wide range of educational and socioeconomic backgrounds.

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The intended recipients of our project were marginalized communities within the Champaign-Urbana area, and our goal was to spread public health awareness measures regarding vaccine rollout through debunking popular myths. Helping our community members gain access to accurate information regarding how the COVID vaccine will benefit the greater population is essential for us as a community and University to return to normalcy in the coming months.

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Throughout the research process for this project, we were able to reach out to local public health officials and physicians concerning vaccine rollout. We learned what many patients are usually concerned about regarding getting the vaccine, and this helped us formulate what myths were circulating within our neighborhoods, and why citizens are hesitant to get their vaccines. Julia Pryde, the director of the Division of Infectious Disease Prevention Management in the Champaign Urbana Public Health Department helped us understand that many people are worried about the cost of the vaccine or are unaware of where to book an appointment. Making accurate information about the vaccine availability and appointment making process accessible to Champaign-Urbana residents became our primary goal. 

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Lastly, special thanks to Tanya Parker for managing our team at UNITY this past semester, and playing an active role in our community to better the conditions of access to accurate public health information!

Community Organization Spotlight

UNITY in Action Magazine
Purpose

 

Learning about the disproportionate mortality rate statistics as a result of COVID between White and Black Americans is severely concerning, and our team at UMag worked this past semester to help educate all members of the community why getting vaccinated is the first step towards a healthier tomorrow.

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Our project aimed to inform community members how the vaccine works, how it was made, how it will help you, and what to expect after getting the dose. We chose to convey our message through a flyer that could be circulated throughout the Champaign-Urbana area.

 

 

Common Assumptions

Since we were dealing with a topic concerning popular commonly believed myths, we chose some of the top fake facts many people often fell victim to. Some of the main ones we focused on included:

  • "The vaccine gives you the virus"

  • The mRNA vaccine changes you DNA"

  • "Vaccines cause autism and infertility"

  • "The vaccine processed was rushed and many safety protocols were overlooked"

 

Social media makes it very easy for false information to circulate quickly, reaching millions of people within seconds. Although platforms like Facebook and Twitter have begun censoring false information to contain the spread of misinformation, few people take the time to go back and reeducate themselves on topics they have developed presumptions about. With UNITY, our goal was to publish a piece looking into how we can help improve access to public health awareness measures for all!

IMPACT

Our message regarding debunking myths about the COVID vaccine was very important in our community as only 44% of Champaign-Urbana residents are vaccinated with at least one dose. While this is higher than our state vaccination rate, spreading awareness about the necessity to get vaccinated will only help improve conditions faster. It is necessary for community members to have true knowledge of the vaccine’s capabilities and making in order to decide to receive the vaccine. Working with UNITY has taught me that a lot of hesitancy comes from ignorance, lack of education and experiences of medical abuse within the healthcare system. The burden to educate these members of the community falls on those who have access to higher education and want to help make a difference in the community. Vaccine rollout efforts will be more efficient on a national level if non-profit organizations and donors actively work on a community based level first.
Other ways to convey this public health message would be through using a different platform such as brochure, poster, short film, or article. The target audience and demographic changes the presentation method, and my team at UNITY thought a flyer would be most appropriate for members of all age groups to easily access in the Champaign-Urbana area.
Alternative Models
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