The exclusive club of former presidents and first ladies has reunited with an important message: get the COVID-19 vaccine. Former President Donald Trump and former First Lady Melania Trump are missing from the campaign.
In the recently released ‘It’s Up To You’ ad campaign, former Presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and former first ladies Rosalynn Carter, Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush and Michelle Obama emphasize the importance of Americans getting the vaccine as soon as they qualify.
There are two ads in the new campaign. One of them shows the former presidents and first ladies receiving their vaccines and sharing personal anecdotes, and another feature of Mr. Clinton, Mr. Bush, and Mr. Obama standing together in direct speech to the American people.
“Soon they will be available to everyone,” Bush said at the beginning of the first ad about the vaccine.
“This vaccine means hope,” Obama went on to say. “It will protect you and your loved ones from this dangerous and deadly disease.”
Mr. Clinton says he wants to go back to work, Mr. Obama discusses hugging Michelle’s mom and seeing her on her birthday, and Mr. Bush shares his excitement about attending opening day at Texas Rangers Stadium – on full capacity
“I am being vaccinated because we want this pandemic to end as soon as possible,” said Mr. Carter, although he does not appear on video.
The ad ends with images of the former presidents and first ladies receiving their photos, and ends with a smiling photo of Mr. Carter holding his vaccination card.
The second ad features Mr. Bush, Mr. Clinton and Mr. Obama standing together at Memorial Amphitheater during the Arlington National Ceremony. The three former presidents united in Arlington on January 20 at the inauguration of President Biden.
“The science is clear: these vaccines will protect you and your loved ones from this dangerous and deadly disease,” Bush said. “So we recommend getting vaccinated if it’s available to you.”
“They can save your life,” adds Mr. Clinton.
“That is the first step to end the pandemic and move our country forward,” Obama said. “It is up to you.”
Mr. Trump and his wife did not participate in the campaign. Both received the coronavirus vaccine in January, but did not announce their vaccinations until weeks after leaving the White House.
The public service announcements come just in time for the one-year anniversary of the World Health Organization to declare COVID-19 a global pandemic.
Hesitation to get the vaccine remains a critical issue in the US as the Biden administration ramps up its efforts to vaccinate 100 million Americans during President Biden’s first 100 days. Mr. Biden will be one first primetime address to the nation Thursday night, on the anniversary of the pandemic.
More than 525,000 Americans have died as a result of COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins University.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 93.7 million vaccine doses have been delivered as of Tuesday and 123.2 million injections have been delivered. More than 32 million Americans are fully vaccinated, and in the US, an average of more than 2 million injections per day are now administered.
Emergency use consents have so far been approved for the two-shot Pfizer / BioNTech and Moderna vaccines and the single-dose Johnson & Johnson injection.