January 2010 - Hot Topic

H1N1 Testimonials

By the end of November, H1N1 flu activity had seemed to peak and Ontario was seeing a downward trend in the number of new cases. The vaccine was made available at the end of October and by Christmas, approximately 34% of Ontarians had gotten their flu shot.

In an environment where the H1N1 flu activity had peaked and people were beginning to lose interest in all things H1N1, it was important to find an innovative way to move the hesitators to get the shot. These were Ontarians who hadn’t decided one way or the other whether they would get the flu shot.

It was still important to move Ontarians to get their flu shot because the flu season lasts all winter long. H1N1 was still circulating and it was difficult to predict whether the province would see another increase in the number of new cases in the future.

Through consumer research, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) recognized that many conversations around the vaccine were happening in the absence of fact at the grassroots level. In order to move the hesitator population from talking about the flu shot to getting their flu shot, the Ministry needed to encourage Ontarians to arm themselves with some key facts, beyond the hearsay they picked up through word-of-mouth or the internet.

To achieve this, the MOHLTC launched a grassroots campaign. The strategy was to get key facts to consumers. The “You Call the Shot” campaign showcased images of large needles and provided facts about H1N1. Posters appeared in subway trains and buses, on GO trains, and on rink boards in hockey arenas.

The Ministry also stepped into the online conversation. On a special website — www.Ontario.ca/flu — Ontarians were invited to share their experiences with H1N1. Launched just before Christmas, citizens started to send in their experiences with H1N1 almost as soon as the page was created.

The stories that have been sent and posted have been heart-wrenching and moving — some of these people have had their health or the health of their loved one compromised and the impact on their lives has been significant. These stories reinforce the message that getting the flu shot is a much better alternative to being sick from H1N1 and, we hope, will help people think again about getting the H1N1 shot to protect themselves and the people around them.