In
an experiment by the University of Copenhagen, participants wear
goggles to play an elderly person crossing the square while
avoiding red-clothed bypassers infected with COVID-19.
Vaccinated characters dress in blue.
"It was fun, definitely. It felt like you were there," said
Adam, a participant who got infected in the game he played in a
Copenhagen park.
Adam already had decided to get a COVID-19 shot before this, he
said.
"We know from similar studies that after people went through a
virtual reality experience like this, their vaccination
intention increases. We have observed this with COVID already,"
said Robert Bohm, professor of psychology at the University of
Copenhagen, citing a prior online study by the researchers.
The idea can be used at doctor's offices, he suggested.
The World Health Organisation estimates that immunisation
prevents 4 million to 5 million deaths every year.
In February-March, more than a quarter of European Union adults
said they would refuse a COVID-19 shot, a survey by the EU
agency Eurofound showed.
(Reporting by Tim Barsoe; Editing by Richard Chang)
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