Health ministry seeks to build trust and enable greater confidence in the COVID-19 vaccine
The health ministry has released an 88-page document detailing its communication strategy to support the COVID-19 vaccines rollout in India. This follows the release of an updated version of the health ministry’s operational guidelines for the COVID-19 vaccination process on December 28.
As per the document, the health ministry’s communication strategy seeks to disseminate timely, accurate and transparent information about the vaccine(s) to alleviate apprehensions about the vaccine, ensure its acceptance and encourage uptake. The strategy will also serve to guide national, state and district level communication activities, so that the information on the COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination process reaches all people, across all states in the country.
It seeks to support and encourage appropriate uptake of the vaccines by managing and mitigating any potential disappointment expressed by unmet demand for the vaccine or ‘eagerness’ amongst people, addressing vaccine ‘hesitancy’ that could arise because of apprehensions around vaccine safety, efficacy; and any other myths and misconceptions and providing information on potential risks and mitigate unintended crisis (e.g. AEFI clusters, delay in vaccine rollout for certain population categories) during the introduction and rollout.
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.
The health ministry intends to achieve this in three ways. Firstly, using the social influence or endorsements from experts and official voices to spell out the process of immunisation (where, how, who, when – date and time); emphasise on the safety and efficacy of vaccines and explain the decision to conduct the drive in a phased manner.
Secondly, the ministry intends to establish a National Media Rapid Response Cell (NMRRC) at MoHFW to ensure preparedness through media monitoring and social listening and respond in real time. It will also unfold media and public discourse, through extensive monitoring of print, electronic and digital media.
Thirdly, this will be achieved by involving community mobilisers and frontline workers to engage with the community at various levels through community consultations, faith leaders and religious meetings, engaging youth, civil-society organisations, self-help groups Panchayats and other community-based platform.
The interventions will address four main areas: give information on COVID-19 vaccines, address vaccine hesitancy, build vaccine eagerness and maintain and sustain COVID appropriate behaviours as key preventive behaviours such as wearing masks, maintaining physical distance and handwashing with soap.
The strategy includes the use of celebrities from sports, entertainment and politics as well as local leaders like faith leaders, panchayat members as well as front line workers like ANMs, AWWs and ASHA workers etc.