Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo discusses advertising campaign for COVID-19 vaccine fears

HOUSTON – Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Harris County Public Health officials on Thursday announced a new campaign designed to address the vaccine’s hesitation and urge residents to take further steps to stop the spread of COVID-19.

“Stay smart, do your part” will highlight the safety and effectiveness of vaccines.

“We can’t wait until the supply chains catch up to deal with the vaccine’s hesitation, number one because it’s a problem right now and number two, the campaign won’t work overnight,” Hidalgo said.

The campaign focuses on urging residents to take action beyond wearing masks, social distance and hand washing to include learning about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, staying home and canceling meetings. Campaign brand, “Stay smart, do your part“It was chosen to highlight the role the community plays in helping the region eventually recover sustainably from the pandemic and help our economy move again.

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The current phase of the campaign will focus on addressing vaccine hesitation, especially among color communities in Harris County.

Hidalgo pointed a recent national survey consisting of minority groups and supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which showed that almost 40% of respondents would refuse vaccination if they were offered it on a Thursday or are undecided whether to accept the vaccination at some point.

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“Each of us who live in Harris County are interconnected and can only reach herd immunity if those who are still undecided about receiving COVID-19 take steps to protect themselves and their neighbors,” Hidalgo said. . “People of color have been the hardest hit by the virus, and it’s worrying that research indicates that they are also the least likely to get vaccinated. While we are waiting for the supply chains of vaccines to catch up, we must now lay the groundwork to ensure that we are engaged with residents who are hesitant or undecided about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines so that they can remain smart and to do his part. ”

The $ 1 million multilingual ad includes a list of advertisers who present doctors as credible messengers of health information and ask residents to learn about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines and get vaccinated after they are eligible.

Judge Hidalgo’s office told KPRC2 that $ 1 million will be reimbursed in federal dollars from the CARES Act.