More than 60% of adults in the United States have gotten a COVID-19 vaccine—but there’s more work to do to ensure uptake in the United States and equitable access worldwide. Here’s what’s happening to speed up the final sprint.
President Biden announced a National Month of Action “to mobilize an all-of-America sprint to get 70% of U.S. adults at least one shot by July 4th.” Currently, 12 states have reached the goal while 28 states and D.C. have fully vaccinated 50% or more of adults.
Activities will encourage vaccination and make it easier to get the shot, like…
- Free childcare and rides for everyone getting vaccinated and extended hours at pharmacies throughout June.
- Canvassing, phone banking, text banking, and vaccination events in communities with low vaccination rates. Visit wecandothis.hhs.gov to volunteer.
- Blanketing local TV and radio with vaccine facts—with voices including trusted community leaders as well as celebrities and social media influencers “to reach people where they are.”
Through an initiative called Shots at the Shop, Black-owned barbershops and beauty salons nationwide will provide information and educational materials about the vaccines to customers and host on-site vaccination events to reach this particularly hard-hit community.
“Barbershops present a fertile opportunity for engagement since barbers and hairstylists are often trusted figures in the Black community,” BIO President and CEO Dr. Michelle McMurry-Heath wrote in an op-ed with Dr. Shereef Elnahal, President of University Hospital in Newark. They cited a study which found Black men were more likely to get tested for diabetes after encouragement from their barber.
The private sector will give away awesome prizes, too—like flights from United Airlines, tropical vacations and Super Bowl tickets from CVS, and even five $1 million cash prizes from Kroger. Plus, if we reach 70% by July 4, Anheuser-Busch will cover the beer for all adults 21+.
See the full list of incentives at www.vaccines.gov/incentives.html.
Meanwhile, on the global stage...the United States is shipping the first 25 million surplus doses to countries in need, while Belgium, Denmark, Japan, Spain, and Sweden will add another 54 million doses along with $2.4 billion in funding for COVAX.
Do you have questions about the COVID-19 vaccines—or want to share science-based information with someone in your life who might be hesitant? Visit www.COVIDVaccineFacts.org.
More Health Care News:
The Wall Street Journal: Europe pushes alternative to waiving patents on COVID-19 vaccines
“Brussels’ alternative plan would lift export restrictions on vaccines and their raw materials, expand manufacturing capacity around the world, and make it easier for countries to use existing rules to override patents in some cases, according to documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.”
