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LU researchers receive $50K to address vaccine confidence in northern Ontario

A basket of needles containing Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine waits to be administered to patients at a COVID-19 clinic in Ottawa on Tuesday, March 30, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick A basket of needles containing Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine waits to be administered to patients at a COVID-19 clinic in Ottawa on Tuesday, March 30, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
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Researchers and staff from Laurentian University's Centre for Research in Occupational Safety and Health and the science communication graduate program will be travelling across northern Ontario in September to encourage confidence in COVID-19 vaccines.

Although many individuals have received their vaccinations, some remain hesitant and have questions.

“Vaccine confidence has real implications to the health and safety of workplaces and communities,” Dr. Chantal Barriault, director of the science communication graduate program, is quoted as saying in a news release.

This $50,000 will fund the development of evidence-based materials and resources and pay for a team to travel to remote and northern communities to talk to workers and residents about "COVID-19 risk mitigation and to encourage confidence in the efficacy and safety of Ontario’s COVID-19 vaccination program," the release said.

“Northern Ontario has a unique culture, and the concerns and questions northern Ontarians have may not reflect the concerns of other Ontarians,” Dr. Sandra Dorman, director of CROSH, said in the release.

"Sharing and exchanging health and safety information with people living in northern Ontario is a core mission of CROSH. We are excited to reconnect with communities and better understand their concerns and choices."

Researchers, students, and staff from CROSH and the science communication program will be traveling to interested workplaces and communities across northern Ontario using the CROSH mobile research lab, which is designed to conduct occupational health and safety outreach and research.

“CROSH has over 10 years of experience connecting and engaging with northern Ontario workplaces and communities, and Laurentian University’s Science Communication Graduate Program is world-renowned for training professional science communicators, Dr. Tammy Eger, vice-president of research, said in the release. "They are ideally positioned to conduct this important work.”

Anyone interested in having the team visit their workplace can send them an email.

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