Vaccines: fighting disease

The 2023 competition was set up in response to the Covid-19 pandemic which exposed a lack of knowledge of the role of vaccines in fighting disease. Sponsored by UNESCO SEAMEO STEM-ED and using MiSAC's successful competition model, the Microbiology Programme ran in SEAMEO's 11 SE Asian partner countries. It consisted of two phases (i) teacher training and workshops, followed by teaching at schools and student research and (ii) production of a 3-minute video by grade 7-9 students explaining to fellow-students the body's immune response and the way vaccines work to control a childhood disease.

As always, scientific guidance and some references were provided to entrants and competition rules and check-lists formed the basis of the judges' mark scheme. Judges were very impressed by the enthusiasm, imagination, technological skill and sheer enjoyment evident in the ways entrants had contrived to convey an important message in an appealing and often amusing manner - not an easy task when voice-over or sub-titles had to be in English.

Prize Winners

1st: Meet Poliovirus – Anukoolnaree School Kalasin, Thailand

2nd: MMR vaccines: say goodbye to childhood infections – Nanyang Girls High School, Singapore

3rd: Live coverage of Polio by 2MPE – Damrongrat Songkroh School, Chiang Rai, Thailand

Highly Commended

For their content and imaginative methods of sharing their message.

Vaccine Chronicles: The Battle Within – SMK Chung Hua (CF) School Malaysia (Sarawak)

Herd Immunity and how measles vaccine works in children – Varee Chiang Mai School, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Please click on the link above to view this video.