Covid 19: EXCITE: Extension Collaboration on Immunization, Teaching, & Engagement

The UK FCS Extension seeks funding through the Extension Foundation Excite Activity One Application for COVID-19 Focus: Vaccinate with Confidence to reduce vaccination hesitancy around both COVID and other immunizations in Kentucky adults. Although we will broadly disseminate educational programming, we will develop materials and programming specifically to target demographic groups that have exhibited high rates of vaccine hesitancy, including those living in rural areas and individuals who did not complete high school. Furthermore, based on a specific request from the Kentucky Native American Heritage Commission, we also will develop materials specifically to target Native Americans within the central region of Kentucky. In the event this proposal receives funds, we expect our role to include: • Extension Agents in counties designated to work on this effort as trusted community members; • Using established health coalitions to enable this project to be directly connected to local immunization access; • Conduct immunization education intervention through innovative approaches that are informed by partnering with the Kentucky Department of Public Health in using the CDC Rapid Community Assessment Tools; • And forming new partnerships with pharmacy groups and community vaccine providers including the local health department nurse leads, regional immunization field reps, and the medical reserve corps to promote the uptake of COVID-19 vaccinations among adults with less than a high school degree, who live in a rural county, or who identify as Native American in Kentucky.