HHS launches vaccine public education campaign

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is launching a new public education campaign to encourage people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and increase confidence in the vaccines.

The department will create a nationwide network of trusted voices – local voices people know and trust – called the COVID-19 Community Corps. The group members will get regularly updated public health information and resources that they can then use within their communities to help get friends, family, and followers vaccinated.

The effort will mobilize health professionals, scientists, community organizations, faith leaders, businesses, rural stakeholders, civil rights organizations, sports leagues and athletes, and other Americans to become leaders within their communities to help others get vaccinated.

The campaign also includes profile frames for social media that will allow Americans to display their choice to get vaccinated and encourage their friends and family to do the same while increasing confidence in the vaccine. Television ads emphasizing “We Can Do This” – what the department says is a hopeful and unifying call to action – will also begin to run nationwide to encourage Americans to get the vaccine.

The efforts follow the announcement of nearly $10 billion to increase access to the vaccine and increase confidence in hard-hit, vulnerable communities. Nearly $3 billion comes from CDC funding to support outreach efforts through community-based organizations and trusted community leaders across the country. HHS also announced $250 million in minority health grants to increase vaccine acceptance in minority communities and $255 million from the CDC in grants to community and civic groups for vaccine outreach.

The effort is supported by numerous public health organizations, sports associations and entertainers, rural leaders, Latinx leaders, labor and union organizations, minority and ethnic populations leaders, and veterans’ organizations.