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The Biden Administration kicked off an advertising and public education campaign Thursday to encourage more Americans to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.
Called “We Can Do This,” the campaign includes creating a large “community corps” of local leaders and public figures to speak out in favor of vaccination, using social media postings to spread the word, and airing advertisements aimed at communities that are lagging in vaccinations.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy introduced some of the local leaders Thursday during a virtual kickoff event.
“You are the people that folks on the ground know and rely on and have a history with,” Harris said at the kickoff, according to The Washington Post . “And when people are then making a decision to get vaccinated, they’re going to look to you.”
The Community Corps includes more than 275 organizations ranging from the American Medical Association to the National Football League, faith leaders, and individuals such NFL players Orlando Pace and Chester Pitts, comedian George Lopez, political commentator Ana Navaro, and retired figure skater Michelle Kwan.
“Research shows that, when making the decision to get vaccinated, people want to hear from people they trust, such as medical professionals, their own family and friends, and leaders in the community,” the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said in a news release.
“The Community Corps was created to provide those trusted messengers with consistent and accurate information about COVID-19 to empower as many Americans as possible to become messengers to share the importance of vaccination in their community.”
The Biden Administration announced last week nearly $10 billion would be spent to increase vaccine access and “vaccine confidence” through the media and personal outreach, but didn’t offer any details.
The first television ads aired on Thursday and will run through April, HHS said.
Besides buying ad time on cable and national broadcast networks, HHS has made “multi-million dollar ad buys” in Black and Spanish-language media and outlets aimed at Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and Tribal populations, the agency said.
Sources
Washington Post. ‘We can do this’: Biden unveils pro-vaccine TV ads, network of grass-roots leaders to push shots
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/04/01/biden-pro-vaccine-tv-ads/
HHS. “U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Launches Nationwide Network of Trusted Voices to Encourage Vaccination in Next Phase of COVID-19 Public Education Campaign”
https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2021/04/01/hhs-launches-nationwide-network-trusted-voices-encourage-vaccination-next-phase-covid-19-public-education-campaign.html
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