K-12 Educational Resources on Vaccine Biology and SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Hesitancy

Abstract The goal of this project is to develop innovative educational resources aimed at rural middle school-age children and medically underserved populations to increase vaccine confidence and encourage vaccine acceptance by the public. To attain this goal, an interdisciplinary team of scientists and education and communication specialists has been assembled. This project will undertake three specific aims. Specific Aim 1 will compile information on vaccine hesitancy (history, reasons for, approaches for overcoming, and vaccine myths and misconceptions) to help inform information delivery. Specific Aim 2 will produce age-appropriate materials (high quality brochures and posters, interactive digital media, etc.) to provide general factual information on vaccine biology, including basic biology (mRNA), basic immunology, and how vaccines are developed and manufactured. Specific Aim 3 will be directed at innovative packaging of the factual information produced in Specific Aims 1 and 2, with delivery of this information into rural schools/regions, including vulnerable populations in South Texas. The newly developed materials will increase general literacy on immunology and on vaccine research and development, manufacturing, and testing, with the goal of allaying fears and concerns about vaccines. For example, entertaining but informative videos and webcasts will be distributed via social media, as public service announcements, or used in classrooms. In these, a person (undergraduate, graduate or veterinary student) posing as vaccine hesitant interviews an expert with a script that addresses hesitancy and misconceptions. These materials will be made available to middle school teachers throughout the USA via the extensive network already established by the Partnership for Environmental Education and Rural Health (PEER) program. TAMU Biomedical Sciences (BIMS) undergraduate students will also disseminate the educational materials into local rural schools as near- peer communicators. Furthermore, use of social media will allow PEER to reach audiences around the world. Capitalizing on Rogers's Diffusion of Innovations Theory, existing networks between teachers, middle school students, and their families will be used. Bilingual middle school children will receive information that they can bring back to their Spanish-speaking parents and other community members.