It might surprise you.
In a rare moment of bipartisanship on Capitol Hill Wednesday, the House Energy & Commerce Oversight & Investigations Subcommittee put politics aside to discuss COVID-19 vaccine confidence—and heard from a variety of voices on how to ensure more Americans get their vaccine.
The subcommittee members are “bipartisan in their strong urging of all Americans to get the vaccine," said Chair Diana DeGette (D-CO) in her encouraging remarks—watch around 00:30:56.
Practically speaking, what can we do to encourage uptake?
Trust for America’s Health EVP and COO Dr. Nadine Gracia recommended providing evidence of scientific fidelity of the development process, ensuring easier access to vaccines through safe and convenient settings, and complete coverage of COVID-19 vaccine cost.
Amy Pisani, Executive Director of Vaccinate Your Family, encouraged collaboration with trusted community stakeholders and working with immunization coalitions to develop new programs to increase vaccination rates in rural areas.
BIO has been doing all of this—including working with trusted community partners and providing science-based vaccine facts.
“The vaccine is not a miracle, the vaccine is a gift—from the world’s greatest scientists and thinkers and activists,” said actor Nick Offerman, best known as Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation.
“The hustle was not applied to the safety of the vaccine. The science didn’t arrive overnight—the science was based on 40 years of work,” he continued, adding that the speed was due to getting rid of “bureaucratic red tape.”
Watch: