FRIDAY, April 2, 2021 (HealthDay News) — In a push to overcome COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, the Biden administration on Thursday launched a public outreach effort that will focus on communities that have been hit hardest by the pandemic.
Called the “We Can Do This” campaign, the project features television and social media ads and creates a “community corps” of public health, athletic, faith, and other groups to spread the word about the safety and efficacy of the country’s three approved vaccines, the Associated Press reported.
President Joe Biden encouraged more than 1,000 faith leaders on Thursday to continue their efforts to promote vaccinations in their communities. “They’re going to listen to your words more than they are to me as president of the United States,” Biden said.
The focus on trusted community leaders came after internal and public surveys showed those skeptical of the vaccines are most likely to be influenced by local, community, and medical encouragement to get vaccinated, rather than messages from politicians, the AP said.
The Biden 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; unions; and Latino, Black, Asian American Pacific Islander, and Native American organizations, as well as coalitions of faith, business, and veterans leaders, the AP said. The community corps will receive fact sheets and social media messages to share with members of their communities, as well as regular updates from the Biden administration with the latest vaccine confidence resources.
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