Corona Bee Game

The concept behind the game is that, for effective control of COVID-19, messages about vaccination must be seen, understood, and acted upon. For effective behaviour change, information must not only be accessible and presented in an engaging way. To that end, Corona Bee Game is meant to improve COVID-19 vaccine uptake by informing, entertaining, and encouraging citizens on their mobile phones.

The free-to-play digital game works on any smartphone or personal computer (PC) and takes only minutes to play. No registration or downloading is required, and anyone of any age can play. The game is interactive throughout, and its leaderboard (used to identify the best performers) is socially shareable so that players can promote the game on social media platforms. These same platforms are serving as channels of spreading myths and misinformation against vaccination.

Originally developed in English for use in the United Kingdom (UK), Corona Bee Game was translated into 5 Indian languages (Hindi, Punjabi, Bangla, Telugu, and Kannada). A team of health communication researchers and mass communication faculties from different universities in India teamed up with Focus Games for the adaptation effort, which was based on research and the use of scientific methodologies. Prof Manju Rose Mathews, health communication researcher at Amrita University and Head of Media Studies at Christ Nagar College Trivandrum, who coordinated the translation, pointed to the significance of educating the unvaccinated population in their mother-tongue. She explains that the linguistic and cultural diversity of the population is a big challenge for the reach of health communication interventions in India. Digital games through mobile devices can be effectively deployed to engage and educate the diverse population - particularly because over 750 million people in India have access to smartphones.

Christ Nagar College is launching a six-week-long campaign using Corona Bee Game to reach families through school and college students. The National Service Scheme (NSS) unit of the college is spearheading the campaign by networking with other NSS units in the country. (NSS is a government of India initiative for public service, with student volunteers across schools and colleges in India.) Activities include online game events, workshops, quiz competitions, poster making, and short film contests in multiple languages. Christ Nagar College is integrating the Corona Bee Game into these initiatives. The college has also been conducting academic events with thought leaders and influencers to spread awareness among students all over India about the need to fully vaccinate. For example, click on the video below to view a virtual town hall on vaccine misinformation, hosted by Prof Mathews of Christ Nagar College.

To play the game:

• Click here for the Corona Bee UK website.
• Click here for the Corona Bee India website.

Immunisation and Vaccines, COVID-19.

As COVID-19 cases rose again in 2022 after an interval, vaccine hesitancy emerged as a major challenge for achieving 100% vaccination in India. Reports indicate that millions of people in different states of the country have skipped the second dose of vaccine. Apart from that, the inoculation of precautionary dose by the eligible segment of population is very low, as per the available data. Misinformation around vaccination is one of the major reasons.

Corona Bee Game is a version of the Flu Bee Game, which has been widely used by National Health Service (NHS) trusts and care homes in the UK since 2016 to improve flu vaccine uptake. Click here for evidence, such as the finding that 84% of vaccine-hesitant players changed their minds.

Since 2004, and as of 2022, the UK-based Focus Games has developed over 100 games globally that are designed to make teaching in healthcare and public health campaigns more effective and enjoyable. The games are content-rich, subject-specific, competency-focused, and evidence-based. They deal with a wide range of subjects. No external support or training is required; anyone can facilitate a game, including students. The games are used by healthcare providers and universities across the world; in particular, NHS UK works closely with Focus Games to support training and education of the healthcare workforce.