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WASHINGTON (AP) – Seeking to overcome vaccine hesitancyThe Biden administration stepped up its outreach efforts with skeptical Americans on Thursday, launching a coalition of community, religious and celebrity partners to promote the COVID-19 fire in hard-hit communities.
The administration’s “We Can Do This” campaign features television and social media ads, but it also relies on a community body of public health, athletics, faith and other groups to convey the message. the word about the safety and efficacy of the three approved vaccines. Campaign comes amid fears that reluctance to get vaccinated will delay the country’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic –and starts as the United States plans to increase vaccine supply that will make all adult Americans eligible for vaccines by the start of May.
President Joe Biden on Thursday encouraged more than 1,000 religious leaders to continue their efforts to promote immunization in their communities. “They’re going to listen to your words more than they listen to me as President of the United States,” Biden said.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Surgeon General Vivek Murthy held a virtual meeting with more than 275 inaugural community body members on Thursday to kick off the effort. The Department of Health and Human Services was also encouraging other groups, as well as ordinary Americans, to join the effort.
“You are the people that the people on the ground know, whom they rely on and with whom they have a history,” said Harris. “And when people make the decision to get vaccinated, they will turn to you.”
A White House official said Harris plans to play a bigger role in promoting vaccine uptake, in addition to his efforts to sell the president’s $ 1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill. and strive to address the root causes of migration leading to an increase in the number of unaccompanied minors. entering the United States along the southern border.
The focus on trusted validators stems from internal and public surveys showing that vaccine skeptics are more likely to be swayed by local, community, and medical encouragement to get vaccinated, rather than vaccine skeptics. messages from politicians.
Courtney Rowe, Director of Strategic Communications and White House Engagement for COVID-19, briefed governors on the new initiative on Tuesday, telling them people “want to hear from those they know and from whom they have trust”. She added that the initiative “would empower the leaders people want to hear.”
A new poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research conducted late last month finds that three-quarters of American adults now say they have or will be vaccinated, compared with 13% who say they probably won’t, while 12% say they definitely won’t. The share that says they probably or definitely won’t have declined since January, when a combined 32% said so.
The coalition includes health groups like the American Medical Association and the National Council of Urban Indian Health, sports leagues like the NFL, NASCAR, and MLB, rural groups, labor unions, and Latin American, black, and other organizations. Pacific Islands and Native Americans, as well as coalitions of religious, business and veteran leaders.
Community bodies will receive fact sheets and social media posts to share with members of their communities, as well as regular updates from the Biden administration with the latest trusted vaccine resources.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced last week that it would spend $ 3 billion educating community leaders and groups to build confidence in vaccines.
HHS also launched its first national advertising campaign to promote vaccinations, aimed at, Latino and black Americans, with the initial advertising campaign of around $ 250 million. And in partnership with Facebook, it is rolling out profile frames on social media so ordinary Americans can share their intention to get vaccinated and their vaccine experience with their peers.
The White House is also deploying Dr Anthony Fauci, the country’s leading infectious disease specialist, and Dr Marcella Nunez-Smith, who chairs Biden’s COVID-19 equity task force, to speak directly to the public about benefits of vaccines. On Wednesday the couple conducted an interview with rapper and actor LL Cool J and DJ Jazzy Jeff.
By the end of May, the United States will have enough COVID-19 vaccine to cover all adults in the country. Dr Anthony Fauci, the country’s leading infectious disease specialist, estimated that 70% to 85% of the population must be immune to the virus to achieve herd immunity..
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Associated Press writer Emily Swanson contributed to this report from Washington.
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