COVID Vaccine Ambassador Training: How to Talk to Parents

Vaccination is a key strategy for preventing serious illness and death from COVID-19. COVID-19 vaccines are available for children 5 and older, but many parents have questions about vaccinations. This training course prepares parents of school-age children, PTAs, community members, and school staff to be Vaccine Ambassadors and promote vaccine acceptance in their communities. After completing the course, Vaccine Ambassadors will be able to share knowledge about COVID-19 and the COVID-19 vaccine, engage in conversations about vaccine hesitancy in a respectful and empathetic way, and direct people to credible sources for further information about COVID-19 vaccines.

• Why are people hesitant about vaccines and how can we effectively communicate with people who are hesitant?
• This module will review vaccine hesitancy including some of the most common reasons individuals are hesitant, and why scientific facts are not enough to reduce hesitancy. Next, we will focus on effective communication approaches when discussing vaccines with hesitant individuals. Finally, we will discuss the importance of building trust and using empathy in communication.
• What is the immune system and what is the SARS CoV-2 virus?
• In this module we will cover some of the basics of the human immune system. We will also will share a general overview of the SARS CoV-2 virus including transmission, impacts, and prevention.
• What are vaccines, how are they developed, and which COVID-19 vaccines will be distributed in the US?
• In this module we will cover some of the basics of vaccines including how vaccines work, common misconceptions, vaccine regulation and development, and the emergency use authorization (EUA) process. This section will also cover the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.
• How to spot and respond to misinformation online
• In this module we will cover some of the basics of misinformation including different types of misinformation and why individuals create misleading news content. We will also focus on how to identify misinformation and common COVID-19 myths and misconceptions. Lastly, we will discuss effective ways to respond to misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines.
• Vaccines for 5-11 year olds
• This module will address concerns for vaccinating the 5-11 year old age group. We will discuss the importance of vaccinating this group for their health and the health of those around them.