Investigators: A/Prof Christopher Blyth, Samantha Carlson, Catherine Hughes, Valerie Swift
External collaborators: Dr Katie Attwell, Dr Tauel Harper, Dr Marco Rizzi, Dr Jordan Tchilingirian, Prof Paul Effler, Dr Lara McKenzie
The current global COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on global health. This study will explore how the current pandemic has influenced vaccine seeking behaviour and attitudes towards vaccination. The attitudes, beliefs, barriers, enablers and communication needs of families regarding the introduction of a novel COVID-19 vaccine will be determined as well as pathways to facilitate routine childhood and influenza vaccination before, during and after the COVID-19 vaccination campaign.
This study will focus on routine immunisation and preparedness for a new vaccine introduced during a novel pandemic (SARs-CoV-2). Specifically, CORONAVAX will address;
How can government best roll out a COVID-19 vaccination campaign to children?
How can government keep families vaccinating for routine vaccines now, and when the COVID-19 vaccine is ready?
Specific objectives of this work are;
- To ascertain, through an innovative expert-led desk-research approach, best practice and lessons for pandemic vaccination rollouts to children from currently existing literature relating to pandemics, vaccine acceptance and cognate areas.
- To ascertain the attitudes, beliefs, barriers, enablers and communication needs of WA families.
- To ascertain from community and government how best to maintain current vaccination programs during social distancing and health resource scarcity.
- To determine, through Functional Dialogues with government partners and stakeholders, the feasibility of specific governance levers and the appropriate messaging for government communications with families about a COVID-19 vaccine.
- To regularly and iteratively feedback to government our findings and recommendations, generating data on translating evidence into practice and building a knowledge base for research and governance collaborations in crises.
Funding: This work is funded by the Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines & Infectious Diseases and the WA Department of Health.