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Empowering Rural Ohio: Award-Winning Toolkit Guides Health Care Decisions

Nov 1, 2025

When the first COVID-19 vaccine became available in late 2020, public conversation around immunization surged to unprecedented levels. Recognizing the unique challenges faced by rural communities—particularly the health risks tied to low vaccination rates—the Ohio State University Extension team sprang into action. Backed by a grant from the Extension Foundation, with funding from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), the team developed the Extension Collaborative on Immunization Teaching and Engagement (EXCITE) vaccine toolkit to support informed decision-making and improve community health outcomes. [Read more...]