Motivating college students toward COVID vaccinations must include campus peer influencers listening and giving accurate, memorable, and clear information. Swag wouldn’t hurt either.

“Vaccines will soon be available for all Maryland adults – when will you get yours?

a)    I’ve already gotten it
b)    ASAP
c)     Eventually
d)    When they make me
e)    I won’t

My sample size was small ~ 40 students in my General Microbiology class. We’re over halfway through the semester and they are used to my passion for microbiology and concern for their success as well. The poll was anonymous, one of the ways I like to start class to build community and check in with students during these crazy virtual times.

I was shocked. A quarter of the students were in the last 2 categories – “When they make me” or “I won’t”! WHAT? These students have had their fun, activity-packed college career upended by a pandemic! Online classes rip away existing structure, can be isolating, and requires much more preparation and time on the instructor and students. Students with mental health crises are skyrocketing. Grandparents and parents are dying of COVID. They are struggling. We as faculty are struggling. Yes, half of the students had already received the vaccine or said “ASAP”. That wasn’t surprising since most Microbiology students are focused on a health care career. Many already are in health care roles due to their passion for medicine. Still, that the other half of students were ambivalent, hesitant, or resistant blew my mind. It shouldn’t have.

We’re all getting tired of new challenges, new information, and the scary stuff we’ve been dealing with now for over a year. It’s a lot of information to sift through. Do I wear a mask? What kind? Is this KN95 from a reputable company or a fake? Then vaccines were quickly made and approved. Are they safe? Who really needs them? Where can I get them? What resources do you even trust for information? Here’s where good leadership and messaging can make a huge difference.

The Importance of Good Messaging

Strong, clear messaging from college administration has been incredible on Towson University’s (TU) campus, where I teach and do research.

• “Tiger’s Care” is a slogan seen repeatedly on-campus. I appreciate it. That small phrase communicates community standards and expectations. If you are a part of the TU community, you care about other people and they about you.
• “A Mask On Community”. Here’s what we do (wear masks) in this (caring, TU) community.

That same strong, clear messaging can now address vaccine hesitancy and motivate students to vaccinate.

Motivate to Vaccinate

Part of the hesitancy maybe because they don’t see it as an issue for them. College-aged folks usually have less severe COVID symptoms. Heck, many have already HAD COVID and so may have already acquired some immunity. Another is time. Students are slammed with responsibilities from classwork, life (many care for younger siblings, grandparents, or have their own kids!), and/or jobs to pay the bills. Then there’s the newness of the vaccines. mRNA isn’t exactly a commonly known or understood word to many people. Another thought – maybe we don’t know what their concerns are and need to ask and listen.

Know Your Audience

What are the concerns? questions? issues? Once that’s known, targeting the appropriate message, by trusted peers, to the right media channels can begin. Finally, there’s perhaps the hardest part – providing accurate information without reinforcing (or introducing) myths.

Below are key resources I’ve pulled together when thinking about how to create these messages. I have great confidence that the messaging and communication department at my university will do a great job inspiring students to do the right thing and get vaccinated to protect us all and end the pandemic.

My Suggestions

Influencers Peers – not professors. No matter the age, people listen to peers better than authority.

• Would athletes do a group shot getting shots (make “shots (basketball goals?)” for vaccine “shots”?
• Student Government Association, Greek Life, other campus groups
• Students in the health professions

Informative Give students talking points as to why vaccines get us back on a “normal” campus. Can we have an unmasking event to celebrate?

Interesting Ask my students – I love teaching using cartoons, videos, memes, songs/music (yes, I have broken out singing in class). Fun is memorable. Silly sticks. Check out my favorite videos ever! I’ve not seen a better, more memorable and accurate way to talk about the different COVID vaccines:

Incentivize University swag, stickers, T-shirts, water bottles,… Make this a special “badge of honor”

Oops – the kids are up. My Sunday morning writing window is closing. Hopefully, these resources will be helpful in pulling together these messages so that we can get back to in-person learning safely.

Other Resources and Ideas

Science Communication to College Students

Florko, Nicholas. 2021 In the Covid-19 vaccine push, no one is speaking Gen Z’s language. STAT.https://www.statnews.com/2021/04/08/gen-z-hesitant-covid-19-vaccine/?utm_source=STAT+Newsletters&utm_campaign=ebec453d83-Daily_Recap&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_8cab1d7961-ebec453d83-149650409

Science Communication – Don’t Lead with the Myths!

Cook, John. 2014. The truth is out there, so how do you debunk a myth? The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/the-truth-is-out-there-so-how-do-you-debunk-a-myth-22641

Peter C, Koch T. 2016. When Debunking Scientific Myths Fails (and When It Does Not): The Backfire Effect in the Context of Journalistic Coverage and Immediate Judgments as Prevention Strategy. Science Communication. 38(1):3-25. doi:10.1177/1075547015613523

Why Get the Vaccine and How to Address Hesitancy

UAB Medicine https://www.uabmedicine.org/-/here-s-why-you-should-get-the-covid-vaccine

PBS Newshour. Why You Should Get a COVID19 Vaccine Even if You’ve Already Had the Coronavirus. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/why-you-should-get-a-covid-19-vaccine-even-if-youve-already-had-the-coronavirus

Chou, Wen-Ying Sylvia, Burgdorf, Caitlin E., Gaysynsky, Anna, Hunter, Christine M.. 2021. COVID-19 Vaccine* Communication: Applying Behavioral and Social Science to Address Vaccine Hesitancy and Foster Vaccine Confidence** NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Science Research. https://obssr.od.nih.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/COVIDReport_Final.pdf