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

HOUSTON Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Harris County Public Health officials on Thursday announced a new campaign aimed at addressing vaccine hesitation and urging residents to take additional steps to spread COVID -19 to stop.

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

“We can not wait until the supply chains catch up to tackle the hesitation of vaccines, number one because it is currently a problem and number two that the campaign is not going to work overnight,” Hidalgo said.

The campaign focuses on encouraging residents to go beyond wearing masks, taking social distances and washing hands, and learning more about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, staying home and canceling events. The campaign brand, “Stay smart, take part‘Was chosen to highlight the role that the community plays in helping the region to finally recover sustainably from the pandemic, and to help get our economy back on track.

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

Hidalgo signifies a recent national survey consisting of minority groups and supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which showed that nearly 40% of respondents would refuse vaccination if offered one Thursday or did not decide whether to accept a vaccine at some point.

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“Each of us living in Harris County is interconnected and we can only achieve herd immunity if those who have not yet decided to receive the COVID-19 act to protect themselves and their neighbors,” Hidalgo said. . “Colored people are the hardest hit by this virus and it is worrying that research indicates that they are also the ones who are least likely to be vaccinated. Even as we wait for the vaccine supply chains to catch up, we must now lay the foundation to make sure we make contact with residents who are hesitant or indecisive about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines so that they can stay smart and do their part. ”

The $ 1 million multilingual ad contains an ad that lists doctors as credible messengers of health information and asks residents to learn about the safety and efficacy of vaccines and to be vaccinated as soon as they are eligible.

Judge Hidalgo’s office told KPRC2 that the $ 1 million would be reimbursed with federal dollars from the CARES law.