Currently, the COVID-19 and Flu Vaccine Hesitancy Needs Assessment in Hancock County, Georgia is in the “audience testing“ phase of COVID-19 and flu vaccine messaging. Audience testing is typically implemented when there is a need to gain more insight on a particularly activity in hopes of becoming more knowledgeable about the activity and receiving feedback from the intended, targeted “audience” which in this case are residents of Hancock County. Preliminary findings from the initial needs assessment found that one of the primary COVID-19 and flu vaccine messages in decreasing vaccine hesitancy among Hancock County residents is to “Protect Your Loved Ones”. Promotion of COVID-19 and flu vaccination messages will be in this context. Hancock County residents are being actively recruited to participate in focus groups and/or being a key informant in discussing the COVID-19 and flu vaccine messages they would like to see in their communities. The Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center is helping to support Hancock County in being the “healthiest county in Georgia”, a mission established by the Hancock Health Improvement Partnership (HHIP) and further supported by the Georgia Department of Public Health, North Central Health District.
Article submitted by Dr. Kimberly Carr, Community Resource Specialist