ABOUT HOSTING AN EVENT
Shifa Clinic and DHEC are working together to provide local community vaccination opportunities. Community vaccination events bring vaccines to people who would otherwise have a hard time getting vaccinated. Thank you for doing your part to end this pandemic.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITES
ROLE OF PARTNER ORGANIZATION
There are many roles that you, as a partner organization, can play to make a community vaccination event a success. Below are some of those potential roles:
- Do outreach and community engagement to make sure people come to the vaccine event.
- Provide a building/rooms or a large parking area for giving vaccinations.
- Provide volunteers to help plan the event, set up the space, welcome people to the event, direct the flow of the event, and clean up after the event.
- Provide tables chairs, signage, and/or internet connection for the event.
Interested in hosting an event in your community?
ROLE OF SHIFA CLINIC
- Will prepare flyer and message to be given out to families
- Bring vaccines and arrange all storage and handling of vaccines
- Provide vaccine administrators and volunteers to run the event
- Schedule second doses for people at the time of the event.
- Bring all necessary paper work and supplies needed for the event.
- Will provide post vaccination communication/education. Will make sure sure everyone who gets vaccinated knows what side effects they may get.
STEP BY STEP GUIDE
Thank you for doing your part to end this pandemic. Letting people know about your vaccination event and getting them to come to it are important parts of holding the event. This guide may help you do both things. Remember and trust that you know your neighbors and community best; use this guide as you see fit to help reach them
Make your plans final with Shifa Clinic, or the vaccine provider you chose for the event. For example, know: the date, time and location; how people can register for it; the number and types of doses expected; etc. Then go to the next steps.
Think of ways to tell people about the event. Also, think about partners you can work with to reach all the people in your community. It may take many different ways and partners to reach everyone. You know the members of your community better than anyone. Pick what works best to spread news and information to them.
Ways to spread news:
- Mass email to community members
- Social media posts (paid and unpaid)
- Mail (postcards, flyers, letters)
- Phone calls and/or text messages to community members
- Posters placed around the community
- Inserts in bulletins, local newspapers, newsletters
- Interviews with local media
- Phone trees
Partners to help spread news and information:
- Your organization, groups within your organization, and trusted partners
- Trusted community members/leaders (think broadly!)
- Members of your organization connecting with their personal networks
- Vaccinated community members helping to reach others
- Elected officials with large networks who already have ways to share information
- Newspaper, radio, and television organizations
- Neighborhood groups
- Local chambers of commerce or Parent Teacher groups
Decide what words people in your community need to hear to get them in the door. Write and rewrite until you are happy with your messages. Think about asking doctors or other trusted people in the community if you may quote them as part of your message. Their words may help get people to listen and act.
Shifa Clinic will work with you to create flyer and messages to be sent out.
Know who you want to reach and what you want to tell them before writing your messages. Say when and where the event is happening; how people can sign up and whether they can just show up; why they should come to the event; and whether they may bring a friend or family member with them to get vaccinated. Consider asking people to share vaccination information with a friend. Calls to action such as this can help turn possible participants into active supporters.
Plans are done. Messages are ready. Now it is time to hit send. Make sure all your messengers understand what you expect from them.
Keep an eye on the response. Take time to see what is and is not working. Let us know what we can do to help.
Everyone who comes to your vaccination event has decided it is the right thing to do, for whatever reason. After getting vaccinated, these people can become trusted members of their community who can share their personal stories to inspire others to get vaccinated. You just have to ask them.
Decide what vaccinated people can do to help get more people in your community vaccinated. For example, maybe they can call or text three friends; share their experience on Facebook; send a tweet; write a letter to the editor, etc. Think about which options work best for your community. Then create materials asking vaccinated people to help and materials they can use to spread the word.
Messaging Examples You Can Use:
- Getting vaccinated is safe and it works.
- Getting vaccinated protects you and your loved ones.
- Getting vaccinated lets us get back to the things we love and the people we miss.
- Getting vaccinated can end this pandemic (and restrictions).
- Our community; our chance to end this pandemic. Getting vaccinated gets us back to normal.
- Read a full list of COVID-19 Vaccine Key Messages (PDF).