Accessible COVID-19 vaccination program contributes to improving vaccination rates

Accessible COVID-19 vaccination program contributes to improving vaccination rates

While the Vietnamese government is rolling out the booster dose of COVID-19 vaccines, vaccine-related information for people with disabilities (PwDs) must be accessible and communicated in an approachable way.

Reported by WHO, PwDs are classified as one of the most vulnerable populations and disproportionately affected by COVID-19. As a result, it is essential for the government to ensure an accessible vaccination program for PwDs.

The Policy brief Equitable COVID-19 vaccine information for people with disabilities, led by RMIT researchers identified barriers PwDs face when seeking information on COVID-19 vaccines and recommendations to roll out an equitable and inclusive vaccination program.

Barriers for people with disabilities in accessing vaccination information are intensified

RMIT lecturer and project lead Dr Abdul Rohman said that the vaccination process lacks specific guidelines, especially for those living in rural areas with limited access to the Internet and information communication technologies.

“The vaccine-related information is typically generic and rarely takes disability status and health conditions of PwDs into account,” Dr Rohman said.

“It’s not presented in formats that accommodate individuals with varying literacy levels and types of impairments, including visual and hearing disabilities, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and psychosocial disabilities.”

The project reflects the challenges for PwDs when registering for vaccination on the COVID-19 vaccination mobile application or the website portal as the information is not easily accessible.

Interviews suggested that there is a misconception within the disabled community about vaccinations. PwDs particularly those with severe physical impairments perceive that they do not need to be vaccinated because of their low risk of contracting COVID-19 or having no grasp of why vaccinations are critical.

news-1-accessible-COVID-19-vaccination-program-contributes-to-improve-vaccination-rates A person in a wheelchair is waiting in line for their vaccine.

An equitable vaccination program will contribute to achieving a high vaccination rate

RMIT researchers suggested ways to design an equitable vaccination program:

  • Vaccine-related information must originate from reputable sources, be presented in an accessible format, and use illustrations.
  • Information should be disseminated through online and/or in-person settings, use multiple communication channels, including social media.
  • Along with fully accessible facilities, vaccination sites should contain information about the immunisation procedure and be accompanied with sign language interpreters and communication notes.
  • Vaccine registration should have flexible approaches in both digital and non-digital formats; and include a section specifying the type of disability and accommodation required by PwDs.
  • High-profile entities, such as authority leaders, community influencers, or other PwDs, should be enlisted to enhance vaccine confidence and acceptance among PwDs.

The Policy brief has been circulated to more than 25 NGOs across Vietnam and involved three organisations of people with disabilities in Hanoi, Ha Nam, and Thai Binh provinces.

The Policy brief can be accessed here.

Story: Thuy Le

18 August 2022

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