Community-Based Organizations COVID-19 Vaccine Toolkit

CDC has designed this toolkit to help community-based organizations (CBOs) educate communities and promote this important prevention tool.

The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine is now available for everyone 12 years of age and older. New materials have been added to the toolkit to help answer frequently asked questions.

Who is this toolkit for?

This toolkit is designed for staff of organizations serving communities affected by COVID-19. These CBOs could include:

• Social service organizations
• Faith-based organizations
• YMCAs/YWCA
• Youth organizations
• School organizations (PTAs/PTOs)
• Meal delivery services
• Senior centers
• Fraternities and more

What is the purpose of this toolkit?

This toolkit will help your organization share clear and accurate information to educate community members about COVID-19 vaccines, raise awareness about the benefits of vaccination, and address common questions and concerns.

How to Promote Vaccination in your Community

• Learn more about COVID-19 vaccines for specific groups of people such as adolescents 12 years of age and older, older adults, healthcare personnel, people with disabilities, people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and others.
• Adapt the key messages to the language, tone, and format that will resonate with your community.
• Customize the template letter and send or email it to your community members to introduce your COVID-19 vaccine educational activities.
• Print copies of communication resources and use them as handouts or to hang in highly visible places in your community.
• Organize a COVID-19 vaccine presentationppt icon for your community members and promote it via digital and community communication channels. If your community has internet access, organize a virtual presentation. If it does not, organize an in-person presentation following COVID-19 safety precautions. Ask if your local health department can provide a speaker if you do not have a health educator on staff.
• Have open discussions. Create and publicize a feedback mechanism for members of your community to ask questions about COVID-19 vaccination (email inbox, phone number, point of contact).
  • Acknowledge that certain communities and groups have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 infections and severe outcomes, and that some might have had previous experiences that affect their trust and confidence in the health system.
  • Provide accurate information about the benefits, safety, side effects, and vaccine effectiveness.
• Continue to educate your community via articles, blog posts, and social media posts. Tailor information for your community and include graphics if you can.
• Learn more about finding credible vaccine information. Get the facts to respond to misinformation you might encounter.
• Encourage leaders in your districts to be vaccine champions and share testimonials about why they got vaccinated. Promote their stories in your communities.
• Encourage social support. Invite your staff to wear stickers once they have been vaccinated and post vaccination selfies on social media.

Materials for Communicating with Your Community Members

Community-Based Organizations and Leaders can use the following materials to encourage COVID-19 vaccination.

• Introductory letter: Send this letter to encourage your branches, chapters, or affiliates to review and use the toolkit materials.
• Letter to members: Customize this letter about COVID-19 vaccination to send to your members.
• Newsletter content: This short newsletter-style blurb can be widely distributed to share information on COVID-19 vaccines.
• COVID-19 Vaccine Basics (Slide Deck) ppt icon[9 MB] (also available in Spanish ppt icon[4 MB]): These basic slides about COVID-19 vaccines are for virtual town halls or other informational meetings within your communities. You can use all or part of the set or also include your own organization’s information.
• Print Resources: These posters, factsheets, and other print resources encourage and support community members in their decision to get vaccinated. You can print and post them in your buildings and other community locations.
• COVID-19 vaccine factsheet: This plain language fact sheet is available in several languages.
• Fotonovela: Use this comic-book style graphic to promote COVID-19 vaccination in your community.

Digital and Print Communication Resources

Providing educational resources to community members will help them understand the importance of vaccinating against COVID-19. These digital and print communication resources may help explain, encourage, and support community members in their decision to get vaccinated. You can print and post them in your buildings and other community locations.

Vaccine Promotion Posters

Posters to encourage your community to get a COVID-19 vaccine.  Getting a COVID-19 vaccine adds one more layer of protection.

View and Download Posters (available in Spanish)

Fact Sheets

Facts About COVID-19 vaccines

Stopping the COVID-19 Pandemic Is Going to Take All of Our Toolspdf icon

Infographics

These infographics explain how different types of COVID-19 vaccines work.

View and Download Infographics (also available in Spanish)

Fotonovela

This comic-book style graphic tells the story of a daycare worker’s decision to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

A safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine is now available  (also available in Spanish and Haitian Creole)

Printable Stickers

Printable stickers for staff to handout to people who have received a COVID-19 vaccine.

Compatible with full-sheet sticker paper or standard precut 1 2/3” labels.

View and Download COVID-19 Vaccine Stickers (available in Spanish)

Social Media

Visit CDC’s COVID-19 Vaccines Social Media Toolkit for sample social media messages and graphics for Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The messages can be adapted to fit your organization’s needs.