From grassroots to national campaigns, battle against vaccine hesitancy ramps up
TAMPA, Fla. - Expect public health messaging about the importance of getting vaccinated to ramp up as more people become eligible for the shot in the coming weeks and months.
President Joe Biden wants to make sure people know getting a vaccine is key to ending the pandemic, so the federal government dedicated funding in the stimulus package to vaccine messaging to reduce skepticism. Recent ads from the AdCouncil about the COVID-19 vaccine featuring former presidents and first ladies are just the beginning of a massive public health campaign to build confidence in the shot.
President Biden said Monday it’s important for every person to know the facts.
LINK: COVID-19 vaccine distribution information in Tampa Bay area counties
"I urge all local doctors, and ministers and priests to talk about why, why it’s important to get that vaccine and even after that until after everyone is in fact vaccinated, to wear this mask," said Biden.
Recent polls show some people are hesitant to take the vaccine, and experts said reasons can range from the shots being politicized to the timeline of the vaccine rollout. USF Health’s Dr. Claudia Parvanta said scientists did not start from scratch.
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"I think that if you look at how quickly CDC turns around the new flu vaccine every year, it’s about the same amount of time," said Parvanta. "Of course, the technology was already in place and basically they were really able to put enough money to it to really ramp it up."
Dr. Parvanta studies social marketing and she said people really respond to who delivers the message. The national campaign hopes doctors, community and faith leaders will help.
Ad campaigns fight vaccine skepticism
"So if there is stuff that’s on the television or in the newspapers or on the radio, it’s backed up by what people in your community are also saying. So ideally all of those hoops would be working together," said Parvanta.
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Also working on the message is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC just published a guide to help gauge vaccine interest in local communities.
St. Petersburg has recently rolled out public service announcements through social media to get the word out. A spokesperson for the city of Tampa said groups will soon go door-to-door in hard-to-reach neighborhoods and host pop-up registrations.
Experts said getting everyone involved helps build confidence as people wait for their shot.
Florida lowers vaccine eligibility to 60 and older
Starting Monday, more people in Florida are eligible to get the vaccine. The age limit has now dropped to 60.
"I’m hoping that the more they see people get the vaccine and do well, the more they’ll be convinced that it’s a safe choice for them too," said Parvanta.
The city of Lakeland said they will discuss vaccine messaging Tuesday and plan to find out what any concerns or need the Florida Department of Health may have.
FOX 13 reached out to the state about plans related to the campaign and efforts to build public confidence in the vaccine, but a state spokesperson did not respond to the request for comment.