Communicating the Importance of School Vaccines

By Genevieve Valek

After being given the go-ahead from the Illinois Public Health Association (IPHA), Valek & Company developed communications for a large vaccination program to cover multiple Illinois counties. The Vaccines Save Lives campaign promotes the vital importance of lifesaving vaccines for pre-school and school children. The campaign focused on vaccination services provided by the Cahokia Unit School District 187, Crawford County Health Department, East Side Health District, Lawrence County Health Department, Southern Seven Health Department – Massac County, and St. Clair County Health Department. 

Ray and Genevieve Valek scheduled and conducted interviews with various employees from each health department to learn what programs they have in place for school vaccinations, the type of pushback they receive in their communities for those vaccinations, and other general vaccination clinics or programs they offer to their communities.

After getting this information, Valek & Co. worked with these different public health agencies to promote school vaccines. In addition, since COVID-19 hampered the promotion and distribution of vaccines, Ray Valek and team member Maureen Baird developed a toolkit that these agencies can use to promote vaccinations again once things settle down. This toolkit includes graphics like logos and web banners, social media messages, a CDC vaccinations fact sheet, local agency fact sheets, posters, postcards and more.

With the help of Valek & Co. and IPHA, these seven health districts will be much more prepared to tackle the school vaccinations once normal operations resume. The hope is to vaccinate all children in these communities to build herd immunity and prevent childhood diseases such as measles and chicken pox.