Ιmmunity – HelMSIC Greece

Name of the activity: Immunity

Country/NMO: HelMSIC Greece

Program: Communicable Diseases

Contact information: contact [email protected] to get in touch with the Activity Coordinator

Type of the activity: Continuous Activity

Category: Education

Focus area: Work to increase rate of Vaccination, Early childhood vaccines and preventable diseases

Sustainable Development Goals addressed: SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities)

Problem statement:

Widespread campaigns about COVID vaccines have made them a hot topic for many people. As with all centralized efforts, governmental campaigns spawned a new wave of vaccine hesitancy and denial, spawned primarily by fear of the unknown new technologies and lack of trust in the media and figureheads. “Immunity Project” aims to ensure that the misinformation and hesitancy around COVID vaccines does not become the norm and that trust in the scientific community is re-established.

Target groups:

• General population
• Medical students
• Children

Beneficiaries:

• General population
• Doctors

Objectives:

1. Help medical students advocate for vaccinations by providing information and training

1.1. Educate medical students on the National Mandatory Vaccination Programme and vaccine hesitancy, ensuring they can use scientifically correct information.

1.2. Teach them how to speak in public and build a convincing case.

1.3. Familiarize them with the idea that medical professionals have an obligation to educate the public about health.

2. Educate both the greater public and medical students on the safety and efficacy of vaccines in order to increase confidence in their use.

2.1. Inform them about the approval process of vaccines, as well as the status of vaccines currently in development that they may be interested in (ie HIV vaccine).

2.2. Present data on the safety and efficacy of vaccines.

2.3. Discuss the necessity of mass vaccinations in preventing infectious diseases and epidemics.

2.4. Debunk misconceptions through the use of dialogue and through answering questions.

Indicators of Success:

1.1. Positive feedback from at least 80% participants that fill in feedback forms regarding the educational value of the programme, where a positive feedback means a rating of 4 or higher on a scale from 1-5.

1.2. Successful communication with at least one passerby from every participant in the Street Action.

1.3. Involvement of at least 20 participants from each local committee in the local Street Action.

2.1. Distribution of at least 400 informational pamphlets in every Local Street Action.

2.2. Same as above.

2.3. Successful communication with at least one passerby from every participant in the Street Action.

2.4. Successful media coverage from at least 2 local media outlets, so that the debunking of said misconceptions can reach a larger audience.

Methodology:

Stage one includes a one-day conference in all LCs, in which participating medical students will have the opportunity to learn more about vaccinations and immunization, as well as partake in a peer education training which will teach them how to transmit this knowledge to the public. Methods used include: lectures and discussions with qualified experts, peer education training from IFMSA standard Trainers and Workshops that allow for practical and interactive learning

Stage two includes a Street Action in major hubs of local cities, in which participants will be able to inform the public about vaccines and dispel common misconceptions. The Street Action will include a flashmob to attract attention so that informational pamphlets may be distributed and discussions with passerbys about the safety and efficacy of vaccines may be held.

The activity is open to all applying medical students, limiting the number of participants only for the peer education training and the Street Action.

Plans for evaluation:

The activity will be evaluated by evaluation forms sent to:

– Participating medical students in all stages of the programme

– Local and National external partners

– Local organizing committees

External collaborations:

Local external partners are medical school professors and experts in immunology and infectious diseases. These people will support the conferences locally and help educate medical students. Local governmental authorities have also been apporached in an effort to support and promote the Street Actions.

National external partners include the: Forum of Public Health and Social Medicine as scientific partners, and the Athens Medical Unionas fundraisers.