Vaccination: Knowledge is power
Over 3 million global deaths are avoided annually due to the existence of vaccines. In Ireland the state funded immunization program protects against 14 infectious diseases including HPV. However, we face a number of challenges with immunization. Alarmingly, in recent years uptake of vaccines has been waning. Perhaps due to complacency among parents or the torrent of myths surrounding vaccines, which are proven to effect vaccine uptake. In addition, there are a number of devastating infections for which we don?t yet have effective vaccines. This proposal, coupled with the active grant to which it is linked, will address these challenges. At TCD we are undertaking ground-breaking discovery research to develop a vaccine against MRSA. Through this KEDS award we will develop an innovative social media campaign which will attempt to change the narrative in society surrounding vaccination, equipping parents with a greater knowledge and more deeper understanding of how vaccines work and the diseases they protect against. We have partnered with key stakeholders within the HSE and media to generate a suite of online educational videos. These videos will be disseminated through an extensive social media marketing campaign targeting lifestyle platforms specifically aimed at new parents. Vaccination is one of the greatest medical discoveries of all time, through this campaign and our research at TCD we will increase society?s awareness and general understanding of vaccination but also their support for discovery research in this field which will help protect the current generations children but also future generations from deadly diseases.
- Award Date
- 29 September 2018
- Award Value
- €59,931.65
- Principal Investigator
- Dr Rachel McLoughlin
- Host Institution
- Trinity College Dublin
- Scheme
- Knowledge Exchange and Dissemination Scheme