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Project

VAXCOM: Monitoring, addressing and reducing COVID-19 vaccination doubt in Belgium through continuous mapping, early automatic detection and evidence-based strategic communication.

Very specifically, our current findings show that there is an urgent need for: - Mapping of vaccination readiness and doubt in French-speaking Belgium. For this purpose, the same questionnaire that has already been administered in Flanders can be rolled out very quickly. - Mapping of the needs of 'intermediaries' (first-line care: doctors, pharmacists, but also healthcare professionals in the broad sense) and appropriate training and communication. All our surveys show that they play a key role. They are seen as the sources that people trust when it comes to vaccination advice. We need to identify their questions and concerns and provide strategic advice on communication and training materials. How can we ensure that these intermediaries are themselves sufficiently and correctly informed, and how can we support them in interactions with (doubting) patients? - Further refinement and development of an automatic early detection tool for vaccination messages on social media. We need to be able to detect messages early in order to fill information gaps quickly. The sooner questions and concerns are addressed, the smaller the chance of (a wide spread of) disinformation and unreliable sources. - Development of a communication plan and strategy for a vaccination crisis. There is a very real chance that crises will occur during the vaccination campaign. To avoid or anticipate these, the early detection tool can already help, but it is also necessary to have a crisis plan ready. From the scientific evidence on effective crisis planning and communication, it is necessary to look at what types of crises we can expect and what the most effective response strategies are depending on the type of crisis. - In view of the pandemic, it is useful to map out how the above-mentioned issues are already being researched and documented in our neighbouring countries and in other countries that may have a major cultural impact on Belgium.
Date:1 Mar 2021 →  30 Jun 2022
Keywords:VACCINATION STRATEGIES, COMMUNICATION
Disciplines:Environmental health and safety, Communication management, Science and health communication