Do Bugs Need Drugs: Adapting to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Abstract

Do Bugs Need Drugs (DBND) is a school-based programme through the British Columbia (BC) Centre for Disease Control (1). The aim is to teach children hygiene measures, the difference between bacteria and viruses and wise antibiotic use. In partnership with the University of British Columbia (UBC), approximately 300 first year medical students visit elementary schools each year to teach deliver the programme to grades 1–3 classes across BC. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, BC schools limited visitors and the programme was at risk of cancellation. Due to its importance in a global pandemic, the programme was redesigned to include COVID-19 materials and made compatible for online delivery to continue the programme. A needs assessment was conducted to identify available equipment in classrooms and activities students enjoyed in previous years. To ensure that the online lesson is engaging, a variety of activities were incorporated: interactive dialogues to teach elementary students and activities such as poster-making, identifying infection-transmitting actions and a skit to consolidate the teachings. Prior to the presentations, Zoom links and a user guide were distributed to the elementary teachers. Technical support through UBC was also available. Overall in 2021, UBC medical students delivered DBND online to 52 classrooms, where elementary students were physically present in their classrooms. To assess the deliverability of the programme online and areas for improvement, medical students and elementary teachers were surveyed anonymously. The teachers reported good student engagement and participation, which were comparable with previous in-person sessions. The majority (78%) of the teachers expressed interest in continued participation in the DBND programme, regardless of the presentation format. The medical students rated the deliverability of the programme to be good and reported to have gained valuable knowledge about community antibiotic stewardship programmes and communication skills for engaging with the paediatric population. Technical setup was an area with room for improvement. One of the greatest challenges of online delivery was the equipment: a computer, camera, speaker, microphone, projector/screen and stable internet connection. The survey demonstrated that not all classrooms were adequately equipped: 43% of the teachers and 35% of the medical students reported technical difficulties, such as internet connectivity and audio issues. To circumvent this, we recommend adopting a town hall meeting setup, where one elementary student walks up to the computer at a time to talk, to allow presenters to communicate. Alternatively, the teacher can circulate with a laptop to the student who would like to speak. A trial run prior to the session to rectify technical challenges is also recommended. The DBND online presentations were a successful alternative to in-person sessions, suggesting that important public health lessons can be taught online to elementary students, without compromising the quality. With some technical improvements, the virtual DBND programme is a successful model for virtual elementary education and medical student community engagement, beyond the confines of geographic area.