Xiaodoumiao and Tingting Expert Shuo Innovate Vaccination Education for Parents and Frontline Immunization Workers

From September 15 to 21, under the guidance of the Department of Science Popularization and the Science Popularization Activity Center of the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), nine national health-related societies, including the Chinese Medical Association and the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association, jointly hosted the “Enjoying Health” themed event at the Beijing main venue of the National Science Popularization Day. Wang Huaqing, Chief Expert on Immunization Programs at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, visited the exhibition area to learn about innovative science popularization initiatives in the field of vaccination, and spoke highly of the innovative achievements in “vaccination plus internet”-based science communication.

The “Enjoy Health” exhibition area, organized by the Chinese Preventive Medicine Association, centers on the theme “Innovation Leads the Era, Wisdom Illuminates Life.” Focusing on the field of health technology and thoroughly implementing the core principles of the Healthy China initiative, the exhibition covers topics related to human health, including disease treatment, disease prevention, safe medication use, dietary nutrition, exercise and fitness, and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) wellness. The site features a range of activities, such as themed health exhibitions, interactive experiences, science popularization games, expert consultations, media live broadcasts, and expert interviews. These initiatives aim to guide the public in acquiring relevant health knowledge through interactive engagement and to advocate for a scientific, civilized, and healthy lifestyle.

On the morning of the 18th, Wang Huaqing, Chief Expert of Immunization Programs at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC), visited the “Enjoy Health” exhibition area and granted an interview to reporters. He stated that China has long adhered to the health policy of “prevention first.” Since the implementation of planned immunization in 1978, four decades of relentless efforts have continuously expanded childhood immunization coverage, reducing the incidence of major infectious diseases targeted by the National Immunization Program to historic lows and effectively controlling the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases. In this process, science popularization has played a crucial role. Against the backdrop of the new era characterized by accelerated informatization, online science communication is assuming an increasingly important function. It enables the general public to access more authoritative scientific information more conveniently, recognize the importance of vaccination, and thus significantly support the implementation of immunization programs, yielding positive social impacts.

The “Enjoy Health” exhibition area focused on popularizing knowledge about vaccination, with outstanding “Internet+” applications in vaccine education emerging as a major highlight. Vaccination outreach efforts primarily target two groups: parents and grassroots vaccination physicians.

Targeting parents, internet service platforms such as the Xiaodoumiao App serve over 15 million precisely identified parent users. By providing features like vaccination reminders and dissemination of popular science information, these platforms ensure that health education messages are delivered more accurately and effectively to the target audience, thereby assisting vaccination physicians in delivering immunization-related services.

For primary care vaccination physicians, there is also an industry-specific professional knowledge exchange platform—"Listen to the Experts"—which provides services such as popularizing professional knowledge and training, thereby enhancing the professional expertise of the vaccination workforce.

The synergistic effect of the two major internet platforms, “Xiao Dou Miao” and “Listen to the Experts,” in science popularization and education within the field of vaccination has formed a closed-loop science communication chain covering disease control professionals, healthcare workers, and parents of children. This approach breaks through the bottlenecks of traditional science popularization methods, demonstrating the improved efficiency brought by innovative “Internet+” science communication models.

It is reported that the Xiaodoumiao app is currently China’s largest internet platform for infant vaccination by user base, offering parents one-stop services including appointment scheduling, reminders, online payment, expert consultations, and health education. The app’s “Mom’s Classroom” section has published more than 1,700 original educational articles, accumulating 160 million views. Its educational content is presented in diverse formats, such as illustrated articles, animations, and comics. During outbreaks of influenza, hand-foot-and-mouth disease, and other high-incidence conditions, local Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can leverage the app to deliver targeted articles to specific age groups and regions, enabling precise public health education.

“Listen to the Experts” is China’s first learning and exchange platform for professionals in the field of vaccines and immunization, as well as the largest authoritative knowledge and information hub in the area of vaccination. It invites leading experts in vaccination to compile a professional knowledge base and conducts public science education through online Q&A sessions, open courses, and popular science articles. The platform also provides training tools for disease control and prevention, leveraging features such as live streaming, recorded lectures, and assessments to enhance the professional competencies of immunization personnel in a cost-effective and efficient manner.