In Canada, the majority of the population is fully vaccinated, but this rate is variable. Some communities and different populations have lower vaccine confidence and lower vaccine uptake.

There are local structural barriers (e.g. experiences in the health system, socio-economic status, cultural and religious beliefs, etc.) that require tailored, local solutions.

The Innovation Support Unit (ISU) has developed COVID-19 Immunization Primary and Community Care Mapping (immPACC) to help communities work together to reduce structural barriers to COVID-19 immunization and increase vaccine confidence.

This has been developed with the support of Public Health Agency of Canada.

What is immPACC Mapping?

immPACC Mapping is a 2-hour, facilitated, highly interactive, person-centred workshop that identifies barriers to immunization and helps a community co-design solutions using its collective expertise. immPACC can also strengthen relationships and networks to accelerate local improvements.

Through the immPACC workshop, local stakeholders work together to discuss and design local solutions to help with immunization barriers. This approach accelerates local planning and complements public health immunization efforts through collaboration leading to better protection of our populations from COVID-19.

immPACC keeps the stakeholders focused on person-centred improvement by using personas – or simulated people – to focus the conversations. This video highlights the process.

immPACC was built from the original, more general PACC Mapping.

How can immPACC help in our Community?

immPACC is designed to:

  • Increase engagement across your local groups as they come into the discussion.
  • Help you develop specific adaptations to reduce barriers for existing immunization programs and clinics.
  • Help you generate new ideas for immunization options and immunization support for specific populations in your community or region.
  • Increase local buy-in to all these ideas as they are being co-created and validated together in a person-centred process.

All the ideas are recorded and shared back in a short report that includes the immPACC Map for your community.

The immPACC program has just started, so it is too early to tell if these ideas have changed uptake, yet. But we will be looking for that as we go forward.

What is involved for our Community?

The goal for immPACC is to help accelerate planning, not add something more that slows things down, so the process is meant to be easy.

For most people, it is attending a single, 2-hour immPACC mapping workshop.

There is a bit of prep-work that the immPACC facilitator will do with some community leaders before the session. This includes seeking short phone calls with 2-3 community members who can share information on the current, local challenges to immunization uptake.

Who should be at an immPACC workshop?

Each community is different and you will work this out with the facilitator for your specific session. We have found it helpful to have local or regional leadership from some of these groups:

  • Public health.
  • Regional health authority.
  • Primary care.
  • First nations and first nations health services.
  • Municipal government reps.
  • Local community services.
  • Local cultural services.

Sign me up!

If you are interested in having an immPACC workshop with your community, right now reach out to the ISU and we will connect you with your regional or provincial immPACC facilitators.

Or if you have questions, also reach out.

[email protected]

What if I would like to be an immPACC facilitator?

That is fantastic – the training to become immPACC facilitators is free and provided by the ISU team. Training is currently available to people in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba who are interested and able to run immPACC sessions in their region.

Reach out to us at: [email protected]

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