Ian Roe, Content Strategist at I Boost Immunity
If you’re reading this, you’ve probably heard the phrase “likes don’t save lives”. It’s a stark call out of our online culture – liking and sharing articles can make us feel better, but it often doesn’t directly change a life.
I Boost Immunity (IBI) is a Canadian-based advocacy program challenging that paradigm, one share, one online quiz at a time. Designed for the silent majority of us who support immunization, IBI was founded on the simple premise that raising local awareness about the benefits of immunization can also help vaccinate children around the world.
Here’s how it works: the site encourages ordinary people like you to do a series of fun and informative online quizzes, or share articles and stories through your social networks. The site is brimming with good, curated information—personal stories, hundreds of quiz questions and share-worthy original content based on scientific articles, essays and more—about the importance of vaccination. Do practically anything on I Boost Immunity and you will earn one or more life-saving vaccines for children in support of UNICEF Canada.
Answer a quiz question correctly about immunization and you’ve earned a vaccine that could save a life. Share an article posted on the site and you’ve saved another life. Write a story for others to share about why you think vaccines are important and earn five vaccines. The more you do, the more vaccines you can earn, it’s that simple.
I Boost Immunity is designed to be fun for the visitor too. The online quizzes start simple, but get more challenging as you ‘level up’. You can also form teams and earn achievement badges, all the while answering fun and informative questions like:
Who maintains the Twitter handle @Vaccines?
- The Valuable Artifact Church Curators In North America, European Union, and South America (V.A.C.C.I.N.E.S)
- Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance
- Very Adorable Cuddly Cute Institution of Nervous Eccentric Starfish (V.A.C.C.I.N.E.S.)
- UNICEF
(To find out the correct answer, click here).
Why this Approach?
I Boost Immunity was developed as part of a larger effort to find new ways to counter the surge of anti-vaccine sentiment on the internet. Studies show that this type of online activity can influence attitudes, beliefs and behaviour regarding immunization. If we get enough knowledge being shared and supported, we can stop the very real spread of diseases in our communities.
For immunization to work anywhere, it has to be present everywhere. I Boost Immunity is tackling this unique public health challenge head on by rewarding individual knowledge and sharing with a practical outcome that helps children lead healthier lives. Anyone, anywhere can join the pro-vaccine chorus and become an immunization ‘Booster’.
Instead of rolling your eyes or shaking your fist, now you can take real action against dangerous anti-vaccination messaging – go to I Boost Immunity and get clicking!
I Boost Immunity is a Canadian-based online grassroots immunization advocacy program managed by the Public Health Association of British Columbia.
