The Biden administration is using celebrities as part of a push to encourage people to get the coronavirus vaccine. Actresses Eva Longoria and Kelly Ripa and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, and others will reportedly star in the White House ad series launching on Thursday.
The campaign, titled, “We Can Do This: Live,” will target young people through social media, and will include virtual events where celebrities and athletes answer Americans’ questions about the coronavirus vaccine, according to a report by NBC News.
The administration’s effort, led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, arrives on the heels of recent polls suggesting that a significant portion of young Americans will likely refuse to get the vaccine.
A recent STAT News-Harris poll discovered that 21 percent of Generation Z — defined in the survey as young adults aged 18 to 24 — said they would not get the coronavirus vaccine, with another 34 percent saying they would “wait awhile and see” before getting vaccinated.
Last week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) called for an “immediate pause” in the rollout of Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose coronavirus vaccine, after six Americans reportedly developed a rare disorder involving blood clots, and one later died, after receiving the shot.
Subsequently, doctors are now reportedly saying their patients have become skeptical of the coronavirus vaccines.
Celebrities have already been using their platforms to encourage Americans to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.
Pop superstar Selena Gomez is teaming up with Global Citizen to host a multi-network concert designed to inspire people to get the vaccine.
Hollywood star Morgan Freeman has also urged people to get the vaccine, saying it will help make the world a safer place, adding, “I’m not a doctor, but I trust science.”
This article has been updated.
You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Facebook and Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, on Parler @alana, and on Instagram.
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