The University of Tennessee (UT) Health Science Center is conducting a COVID-19 vaccination outreach program in six rural counties.
The school has been granted more than $75,000 to promote vaccine education and improve vaccination rates in Benton, Hardin, Fentress, McNairy, Lawrence, and Wayne counties. Grant investigators, UT agricultural extension agents, and the health department of Tennessee will team up for the initiative.
According to the assistant dean for the Center for Community and Global Partnerships, Sara Day, the grant will allow the university to speak with residents and address their concerns regarding COVID-19 vaccines.
Director of clinical affairs at UT, Diana Dedmon, explained that the project is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), laying out an important aspect of the initiative.
“We plan to offer both educational information about which vaccines are recommended for adults and help inform the rural residents about how to receive the vaccinations,” Dedmon said in a press release.
Low Vaccination Rates
According to statistics released by the CDC, Tennessee is one of the lowest-performing states in vaccination rates, with around 39 percent of people having been fully vaccinated.
In an attempt to increase these numbers, several UT representatives will establish a community advisory board for each of the six counties to discuss the specific needs of their communities.
Advisory board reports will then serve as a guide for UT and its partners in implementing vaccination outreach. The university’s collaboration with the Tennessee Department of Health will add to the effort.
“We are grateful to receive this funding and to collaborate in this very timely issue of addressing vaccine hesitancy. This is one example of many in how nurses lead in improving the health of our communities,” Dean of College of Nursing at UT, Wendy Likes, stated.
