Combating Misinformation: VCU Health and Wellness Library Hosts Vaccine Awareness Event
In an age of rampant misinformation, particularly surrounding crucial public health matters like vaccinations, the VCU Medical Center’s Health and Wellness Library hosted a vital event, "Understanding Vaccines with ImmunizeVA," to address common misconceptions and promote immunization awareness. Held during Health Literacy Month, the event featured experts from the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and ImmunizeVA, an initiative of the Institute for Public Health Innovation, who provided evidence-based information and debunked pervasive vaccine myths. This collaborative effort aimed to empower individuals to make informed decisions about their health and the health of their communities.
The Institute for Public Health Innovation, a regional organization focused on improving community health in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C., played a key role in organizing the event. Building on the legacy of Project Immunize Virginia (PIV), which spearheaded public awareness campaigns from 1995 to 2012, ImmunizeVA was founded in 2020 with a vision of a future free from preventable diseases. The event highlighted the historical impact of vaccines in Virginia, where diseases like yellow fever and polio once ravaged communities. Following the development and widespread availability of vaccines, Virginia lawmakers enacted regulations in 1884 requiring student vaccinations for school attendance, a testament to the recognized importance of immunization in protecting public health.
The event’s speakers emphasized the critical role of vaccines in preventing outbreaks of contagious diseases. They stressed that even with high overall vaccination rates, a small number of unvaccinated individuals can spark an outbreak, underscoring the ongoing need for widespread immunization. The presenters identified two primary reasons for vaccine hesitancy: lack of access to vaccines and the spread of misinformation. They systematically debunked common vaccine myths, including the false claim that vaccines cause autism, a notion thoroughly refuted by scientific research. They also addressed concerns about vaccine overload, clarifying that the number of antigens in today’s vaccines is significantly lower than in the past, while offering broader protection against multiple diseases.
A key theme of the event was the concept of "cultural amnesia," as described by Denise Kesler Olson, chair of ImmunizeVA’s steering committee. She explained that due to the success of vaccination programs in creating herd immunity, many people have forgotten the devastating impact of vaccine-preventable diseases in earlier generations. Kesler Olson shared a poignant personal anecdote about her grandmother, who lost two of her twelve children to preventable illnesses. This stark contrast with the expectation of child survival in modern times highlights the profound impact of vaccines on public health. Kesler Olson’s personal experience, including her son’s battle with a vaccine-preventable illness, fueled her decade-long advocacy for vaccination awareness.
Bel Kelly-Russo, the Institute for Public Health Innovation’s associate program manager, underscored the importance of sharing personal stories like Kesler Olson’s to connect with audiences and emphasize the human impact of vaccine-preventable diseases. Such narratives provide a powerful complement to evidence-based information, promoting health literacy and enabling informed decision-making about vaccinations. The event organizers emphasized the availability of reliable information about vaccines and other health topics at the Health and Wellness Library, located within the Gateway Building at VCU Medical Center, as well as on the VCU Libraries website.
The "Understanding Vaccines with ImmunizeVA" event served as a critical platform for combating misinformation and promoting vaccine confidence. By bringing together public health experts and community members, the event facilitated open dialogue, addressed common concerns, and emphasized the vital role of vaccines in protecting individual and community health. The event underscored the ongoing need for accessible, evidence-based information to counter the spread of misinformation and empower individuals to make informed decisions about vaccinations. The organizers highlighted the continued availability of resources at the Health and Wellness Library and the VCU Libraries website for those seeking reliable information about vaccines and other health-related topics.