Against fake news and the virus

Why was the campaign launched?

The majority of our employees have recovered from the coronavirus infection. We prayed a lot for the sick, for their recovery, and we had to pray too many times for the bereaved who lost their loved ones due to the infection. We also prayed a lot for God to bless the researchers and scientists, for a vaccine to be available. Now that we have received this from him, we feel the need to encourage people. In addition to providing information, our goal is to encourage people to take the coronavirus vaccine. The information is necessary because a lot of fake news and misinformation reaches our Gypsy brothers, among whom we serve.

How do they inform and encourage vaccination?

We inform you with short videos, which are available ciganymisszio.reformatus.hu and on YouTube. Biologist András Falus, winner of the Széchenyi Prize, provides authentic information about, for example, Covid and vaccinations. He emphasizes that any vaccination is better than getting infected with the virus, because it is impossible to calculate the course of Covid. After all, there are those who get through it easily, get sick with other serious symptoms, end up in the hospital or even on a ventilator, and unfortunately, there are those who die from the disease.

What is your experience, do the majority of gypsies ask for vaccination or are they afraid of it?

In that part of society where it is more difficult to access authentic information, fear rears its head sooner and people believe false information. There are many reasons for this: for example, some people have lower relational capital, i.e. they do not know healthcare workers. The proportion of Gypsies is overrepresented in this group.

Is it difficult for people living in extreme poverty to register online?

Our experience is that the majority of the Gypsy population has access to the Internet, even the majority of those living in extreme poverty, but this access is very limited. To use Facebook and watch videos, you don't need any special skills. However, from the point of view of vaccination registration, it is important whether someone has sufficient digital knowledge. Digital knowledge is required to use vaccinainfo.gov.hu ​​and fill out the online form. Our experience is that there is a bottleneck, that many people, for example, do not have an e-mail address, which is mandatory for registration. Our churches, schools, and staff therefore assess on the spot who is having difficulty registering. If someone does not have an e-mail, they will register one for them and then monitor the incoming response. When the notification arrives that the applicant can go for the vaccination, they will tell him. If someone still wants to register and needs help, they can contact their local pastor or look for the Gypsy mission.

The video made by the National Reformed Gypsy Mission for the "Vaccination saved life" campaign: