NATIONAL (CBS Newspath) – To date, more than 20 million Americans have received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Many experts say getting the shot is critical to end the pandemic. Now there’s a new national push to arm the public with information so more people get vaccinated.
Research from the Ad Council shows about 40% of the public has not made a decision yet to get the vaccine. Only 60% of the population feels confident they have enough information to make their choice. Those numbers are lower in Black and Hispanic communities.
The Ad Council and the COVID Collaborative are launching a new campaign called It’s Up to You. It asks, “As the COVID-19 vaccines become available, you might be asking yourself should I get it?” The ad goes on to say the vaccines are “safe and effective” and will “save lives.”
“We need this educational campaign to help everybody understand that no corners were cut during the production of the vaccine,” says Dr. Susan Bailey, president of the American Medical Association. She says the initiative is one of the largest public education efforts in U.S. history. It has medical groups, more than 300 brands, media companies including ViacomCBS, community-based organizations, and faith leaders supporting the cause.
“COVID-19 vaccines are one of the most important tools we have to bring this pandemic to an end. Vaccination is really the best way to get to what we call herd immunity,” Dr. Bailey says.
The Ad Council and COVID Collaborative website, getvaccineanswers.org, includes answers to questions like “Why is there more than one type of vaccine?” and “How do I get vaccinated?”
