#Chances4Children: Initiative to bust Covid vaccine myths launched in schools
Neil Puffett
Monday, February 15, 2021
Teaching resources aimed at debunking myths around coronavirus vaccines have been distributed to schools across London amid concerns that young people are less willing to have the injection.
More than 15 million people in the UK have had at least one dose of vaccine - with provision so far focused on the most at-risk groups and all over-65s with the programme eventually being expanded to all adults aged 18 and over by autumn.
However, there are fears that young people are less willing to be vaccinated which could result in coronavirus continuing to circulate at a higher level than had been hoped.
Research carried out by Hackney Council found that young Londoners are significantly more uncertain about the Covid-19 vaccine compared to older age groups, with seven per cent of 16-to 24-year-olds saying they would “definitely not” get vaccinated, while 21 per cent said they were “unsure”.
By contrast, only eight per cent of respondents aged 75 and older were “unsure” – and none in this age group said they would definitely not get it.
Additional research conducted by councils in London boroughs suggests that those who rely most heavily on social media for news and information – rather than traditional news sources such as newspapers – are more likely to be sceptical about vaccines.
In response, Hackney teachers, with input from their pupils and public health professionals, have developed mythbuster packs, which are being distributed by the umbrella group London Councils for all boroughs to share with their local primary and secondary schools.
Jesse Hershkowitz, head of science at Stoke Newington School, said: “While many of my pupils are highly enthusiastic about the vaccine, there are undoubtedly pupils who are more hesitant. This can be for all sorts of reasons – some just don’t know enough about vaccines, while others may have misconceptions about them.
“We have developed the learning materials with the help of pupils at our school. These resources are designed to improve pupils’ understanding of why the Covid-19 vaccination programme is so important. Through examining the scientific principles behind vaccination and an analysis of how the Covid-19 vaccines have been developed, we’re working to raise awareness and support for London’s vaccine roll-out.”
Georgia Gould, chair of London Councils, said: “This initiative is a crucial part of our ongoing work to tackle misinformation and to help Londoners understand the importance of vaccination – which is key to keeping us all safe and eventually bringing this crisis to an end.
“Schools are playing a pivotal role in raising awareness of how vaccines work, answering young people’s questions, and turning them away from dangerous anti-vax misinformation. We want young Londoners to feel reassured and supportive when their parents and grandparents are offered a Covid-19 vaccine by the NHS. We know from our role in organising stop smoking campaigns how influential children and young people can be on their parents’ health choices.”
Professor Kevin Fenton, Public Health England’s regional director for London, said: “Young Londoners have the potential to be important ambassadors for vaccination and these learning materials are a great resource to build their understanding about this lifesaving public health intervention.
“Making sure young people are well-informed by trusted sources is the perfect way to empower their decision-making and enable them to confidently share accurate information through their own networks. Understanding the process of developing vaccines, how they work and why they're safe and effective is vital for everyone. Young people often feel left out of important conversations, so the fact that these materials were developed with their input is brilliant.”