Grant: Operating Grant: COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted families worldwide. This impact is made worse by previously unseen amounts of time spent online, and the sheer amount of misinformation online. For people who live with allergic disease, reports of anaphylactic reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine have contributed to greater vaccine hesitancy. We are planning a project that will lower this hesitancy amongst people with allergic disease, and their healthcare providers. Our project has three goals. First, we will also speak with families with allergy about their concerns related to the vaccine hesitancy. Then, we will regularly review and update the literature on COVID-19 vaccines and allergic reactions. Finally, throughout the study, we will work with families and healthcare providers to widely share knowledge, in ways that are meaningful to those receiving the information. Our research questions are, "What misinformation exists regarding the risk of COVID-19 vaccine-triggered anaphylaxis?" and "What methods and strategies are most appropriate, as determined by families and healthcare providers, to increase vaccine confidence?" The primary outcomes for Objectives 1 and 2 include risk factors for anaphylaxis, and hesitancy related to the COVID-19 vaccine. The outcomes of Objective 3 include improved access to scientifically-robust information so that families and healthcare providers can make informed decisions. By engaging with families and healthcare providers throughout the project, and partnering with a not-for-profit organization that seeks to reduce the health literacy gap between families and healthcare providers, we will slow the spread of related misinformation and increase vaccine confidence.