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A Drop of Hope: motivating vaccination through art and poetry
Vaccination has been an instrumental tool in the global fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. As of 20 December 2021, globally 4.385 billion persons were vaccinated with at least one dose, which is less than 60% of the world’s population. [i] While most of the world’s population is deprived of equitable access to vaccination, in some countries, including the United Kingdom, vaccine hesitancy remains a barrier to achieving high vaccination rates. The Francis Crick Institute partnered with London-based Poet In the City to introduce a novel approach to encourage vaccination through art and poetry. After being vaccinated, people share their immediate experiences on postcards. These personal expressions are transformed into poetry by Poet In the City’s creative artists. The resulting poetry is displayed outside the centre to reduce fear and concerns linked to the vaccines and educate the public on the benefits of vaccination as perceived by peers. The initiative also provides gratification to the vaccinated population as it shares their voices and recognizes their contribution to the wider community and global scientific effort.