Revised June 21, 2024

A compilation of vaccine resources for museums, many developed in response to COVID-19, that include science communication approaches and public engagement strategies that apply to discussions about most viruses and vaccines.

COVID-19 Coronavirus Resources for Museums
A compilation of resources for museums including safety practices, closures, digital engagement, evaluation resources, and more.

How Effective are Face Masks Against COVID Infection?
A video from RiskBites takes a look at the science
Watch the video

We Can Do This Campaign
- Resources from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ campaign to increase COVID-19 vaccine confidence, specifically to share critical information with parents and caregivers related to vaccinations for children.
- https://wecandothis.hhs.gov
- Through a federal partnership Association of Children's Museums is supporting programs, events, and exhibits in children’s museums to build broader vaccine confidence. ACM has created a four-panel exhibit sharing critical information about vaccines with parents and caregivers, available for free to museums to download and print. Learn more
- For assistance please contact ACM’s We Can Do This project manager, Maureen Devery ([email protected]) for details and links.

COVID-19 vaccinations for Children
- Messaging: Fall and Winter 2023 Immunizations
https://publichealthcollaborative.org/resources/messaging-fall-and-winter-2023-immunizations/
- Messaging for children's vaccines:
https://publichealthcollaborative.org/resources/
https://publichealthcollaborative.org/faq/

Recorded Online Workshop
The COVID-19 Vaccine: What role can museums play in the rollout of the new vaccine?
This workshop focused on effective communication strategies around the importance of vaccinations and what role museums can play in educating their communities about the vaccine. View a recording of the workshop here (recorded February 2, 2021)

Communities for Immunity
Communities for Immunity is an initiative supporting the work of museums and libraries in engaging their communities in COVID-19 vaccine confidence. Funding opportunity for museums and libraries.
https://community.astc.org/communitiesforimmunity/home

Vaccines & US: Cultural Organizations for Community Health
Every one of us has a right to accurate, trusted information. Vaccination impacts you, your family, and your community. This Smithsonian-led collaboration brings together the best available resources about COVID-19 and the vaccines, as well as resources to address many health-related pandemic needs. The Vaccines&US website includes science, history, art, music, and practical tips about dealing with COVID-19 in this moment.
https://www.si.edu/vaccinesandus
#VaccinesAndUS
Suggestions for using this portal: https://www.si.edu/vaccinesandus/site-use-note-peers
Educational products for public audiences

Viruses
- Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley, CA vaccine confidence activities
Read more about the activities and the development process - Children's Museum of Houston, TX
Mr. O video "It Snot Funny" video (for kids) about coronavirus - Building with Biology: VirEx Delivery activity
https://www.nisenet.org/catalog/building-biology-virex-delivery - Exploratorium, San Francisco, CA activities about viruses
https://www.exploratorium.edu/learn - New York Hall of Science, NY - Transmissions: Gone Viral is a digital interactive comic book
https://nysci.org/transmissions-gone-viral - What is Herd Immunity - video by Museum of Science Boston
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCLgJyhb4lo

Vaccines - General
- History of Vaccines educational website created by The College of Physicians of Philadelphia - includes online activities, image library, and educator resources
https://www.historyofvaccines.org - Smithsonian video series
Science of Vaccines
COVID-19 Coronavirus
- The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, PA
COVID-19 Update videos (for adults) with Jayatri Das about the changing science news surrounding the virus (link goes to full playlist on YouTube) - Smithsonian DIY exhibit "Outbreak: Epidemics in a Connected World"
- COVIBOOK: Supporting and reassuring children around the world
This free downloadable short book to support and reassure our children, under the age of 7, regarding the COVID-19; this book is an invitation for families to discuss the full range of emotions arising from the current situation (translated into many languages) - Georgie & the Giant Germ free downloadable children's book
Developed to support caregivers and children in having conversations about the pandemic and to give children a way to express and manage their worries (translated into many languages) - Why We Stay Home - Suzie Learns about Coronavirus
Free downloadable children's book (translated into many languages) - PBS Kids for Parents:
How You and Your Kids Can De-Stress During Coronavirus (includes kid videos) 3/13/20
How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus (includes kid videos) 3/6/20
Helping Children with Tragic Events in the News 2/12/20 - Brains On! Children's podcast coronavirus-related episodes
https://www.brainson.org/page/coronavirus
Science of Vaccines Resources
- CDC - General Vaccination Patient Education
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/ed/patient-ed.html - WHO - How do vaccines work
https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/how-do-vaccines-work - Answering Common Questions About Herd Immunity and Vaccination
https://online.nursing.georgetown.edu/blog/questions-about-herd-immunity-vaccines/#how-to-talk-to-family-and-friends-about-vaccines-and-herd-immunity

https://www.mos.org/coronavirus
Posters, Signs, Graphics, and Social Media Images
- Vaccines & US posters: https://www.si.edu/vaccinesandus/posters
- Vaccine Equity Community Engagement materials: https://vaccineequitycooperative.org
- Ad Council COVID-19 Vaccine Education Initiative: Public Health Toolkit
- Public Health Collaborative downloads: https://publichealthcollaborative.org/downloads/
- Public Health Collaborative resources: https://publichealthcollaborative.org/resources/
- "We Can Do This!" Booster campaign: https://wecandothis.hhs.gov

Science Communication about COVID Vaccine
- Bridging statements can be an effective communications tool to stay grounded in core messages and build trust with fact-based messaging.
https://publichealthcollaborative.org/resources/communications-tool-building-bridges - Communication Resources from the de Beaumont Foundation:
- Language That Works to Improve Vaccine Acceptance (infographic and list of terms to use and avoid)
- COVID Communications Cheat Sheet (infographic and list of terms to use and avoid)
- Slides: Changing the COVID Conversation - Words That Work in COVID Communications (Powerpoint): Insights and practical tips for communicating about COVID-19 (Published 12-9-2020)
- Slides: The Language of Vaccine Acceptance (Powerpoint): Insights and practical tips for communicating about COVID-19 vaccines (Published 12-28-20)
- Vaccine Equity Cooperative
- Community Engagement Resources tailored to different audiences
https://vaccineequitycooperative.org
- Community Engagement Resources tailored to different audiences
- Public Health Collaborative - Messaging kit and downloadable graphics from the Ad Council and COVID Collaborative, with messaging recommendations, do’s and don’ts, and tips about language and tone.

- From UNICEF, First Draft, the Yale Institute for Global Health, and PGP (The Public Good Projects)
Vaccine Misinformation Management Field Guide (PDF) addresses how to manage and counter misinformation (published January 6, 2021) - Societal Experts Action Network (SEAN): Facilitating Rapid and Actionable Responses to Social, Behavioral, and Economic-Related COVID-19 Questions (The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine)
- Building COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence: A National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) and Societal Experts Action Network (SEAN) report on vaccine communication
- Societal Experts Action Network (SEAN) COVID-19 Survey Archive
- Building Trust in and Access to a COVID-19 Vaccine Within Communities of Color and Tribal Nations (December 2020) co-authored by Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), the National Medical Association (NMA) and UnidosUS
- Science Up First - how to talk about vaccines with hesitant people
https://www.scienceupfirst.com/project/how-to-talk-about-vaccines-with-hesitant-friends-and-family/ - "We Can Do This!" Booster campaign: https://wecandothis.hhs.gov
Framing
- Reframing the Conversation about Child and Adolescent Vaccinations (January 2023)
This Frameworks Institute report focuses on how to have conversations about childhood vaccination. Takeaways you can use include: shifting the focus from the individual to the collective and shifting the focus from vaccines fighting disease to the immune system preparing itself.
- Communicating About Vaccination in the United States: A FrameWorks Strategic Brief (September 2021)
A research partnership between the FrameWorks Institute and the American Academy of Pediatrics to understand attitudes and behaviors about vaccination and identify framing strategies that can build public understanding of the science and benefits of vaccines and increase support for structural and policy changes that will improve vaccination access and uptake.
Public Perception and Audience Research about COVID Vaccine
- Poll from the de Beaumont Foundation (November 2020)
- Pew Research Center Study regarding public attitudes towards COVID vaccine (December 3, 2020)
- Poll: Most Massachusetts Residents Willing To Take Vaccine, But Trust Is Lower Among Black, Latino Communities
- Trending Misinformation about Vaccines & COVID-19
Knowing what misinformation is being shared can help you generate effective messaging
from the CDC Foundation, de Beaumont Foundation, and Trust for America's Health
https://publichealthcollaborative.org/misinformation/