Communication to the community and coordination of vaccine services continued to be the key activity in WQPHN’s COVID-19 response. This included promotion of COVID-19 protective behaviours and coordinating and/or funding access to a vaccine administration service in several remote communities including in the Lower Gulf. This also included hosting of family fun days, ‘Max the Vax’ with the aim of increasing primary and booster vaccination rates particularly in the North West region.
Critical areas of focus were ensuring residential aged care facilities had access to vaccination services, increasing the primary vaccine dose in regions below the state average and giving attention to the recommendation for a 2023 COVID-19 booster dose for all adults, particularly for priority groups.
COVID-19 Communication Campaigns
In September 2022 as the virus severity was decreasing and interest in pandemic messages waning, WQPHN took a creative approach to gain attention to COVID-19 information by using adorable (consented) photos and video of Mount Isa children.
Footage from the Teddy Bear Care program (See Child & Family Health) was used to create the Germs Are Yuck campaign which promoted simple but effective strategies for “keeping safe from nasty germs.”
Two Jabs Please
With the approach of winter and the flu season later in the year, the second COVID-19 campaign Two Jabs Please was released, this time playing on a ‘1-2 jab’ theme of vaccine co-administration.
“Boost your health this winter with a Flu Vaccine and Covid-19 Booster. The Flu vax can be given on the same day as any COVID-19 vaccines, so ask for two jabs please!”.
Positive Feedback
Both campaigns included television and radio adverts, Facebook promotion and Postcard letterbox drops, with QR codes used to connect readers to further information on the WQPHN website. All footage was taken in the regions.
Positive feedback particularly regarding the Imparja TV channel advertising and the postcard flyers was received.
