BACKGROUNDER: Biden administration announces six-week campaign to get more Americans their updated COVID-19 vaccine before year’s end

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Administration will focus efforts on seniors and high-risk communities

Today, the Biden administration announces a six-week campaign through the end of the year urging Americans to get their updated COVID-19 vaccine. With winter and holiday gatherings around the corner, more Americans getting their updated vaccine will help prevent thousands of preventable COVID-19 deaths. The six-week campaign will aim to reach seniors and communities hardest hit by COVID-19 by making vaccination even more convenient and raising awareness through paid media. Make vaccination even more convenient, especially for older adults and hardest-hit communities: More than 70,000 locations offer updated COVID-19 vaccines, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has taken steps this month to expand to even more locations. , including mobile environments and sites in rural and remote areas, through more flexible ordering options for suppliers. HHS will continue direct community outreach with trusted community partners and messengers to provide easy access to updated COVID-19 vaccines and information about the benefits of vaccination. HHS sets up pop-up vaccination clinics and educational booths at large community gatherings, from libraries to sporting events to county fairs, and more. Additional funding for community health centers and community organizations to accelerate the pace of vaccinations:

$350 million for community health centers to expand local efforts to get more Americans their updated COVID-19 vaccines: HHS, through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), will invest $350 million in community health centers, which they can use for mobile, drive-in, walk-in, or community immunization events, partnerships with community and faith-based organizations for immunization activities, outreach to day of the vaccine, etc. $125 million for efforts to age more Americans and people with disabilities who are immunized, including through accessible immunization clinics, home immunizations, transportation, outreach, and education: HHS , through the Administration for Community Living, will award $125 million in grants to national organizations that serve people with disabilities and the elderly to support community immunization programs and efforts. Funding will be provided to support local networks of older and disabled people to organize immunization events at senior and community centres; build confidence in the vaccine; educate people about the risks of COVID-19 in the coming weeks and how vaccination will help; providing support services, such as accessible transportation and one-on-one assistance to overcome barriers so that more Americans can get vaccinated; and connect people to the information they need to protect themselves from COVID-19.

New enforcement guidelines to ensure nursing homes offer up-to-date COVID-19 vaccines and timely treatment to their residents and staff: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requires nursing homes nurses are educating their residents on the benefits of life-saving COVID-19 vaccinations and offering the vaccines to their residents. CMS will release guidance today reminding healthcare providers of this requirement. In its guidance, CMS will make it clear that nursing homes with low vaccination rates will be referred to state investigative agencies for scrutiny, and that facilities that fail to comply with the requirement of offering and educating about the benefits of life-saving COVID-19 vaccinations will face enforcement actions, including the need to submit corrective action plans to comply.

HHS will also ask governors for their help and partnership in increasing COVID vaccination rates for residents of long-term care facilities and highlight for them how their states are performing relative to their peers. And, CMS will provide data to states and health plans on underperforming nursing homes to help them spur action and promote increased immunization.

Hundreds of pop-up vaccination clinics to make it even easier for people to get their updated COVID-19 vaccines before the end of the year: national and local organizations, national and local health departments, kindergarten school districts to grade 12 and tertiary institutions, and pharmacies will continue to host pop-up vaccination clinics in urban and rural communities. Americans can also get vaccinated at ongoing events across the country hosted by historically black schools, colleges, colleges and universities, and state, county, research and health fairs. And, organizations across the country are answering the call to host more community vaccination clinics in New Orleans, LA, Albuquerque, NM, Houston, TX, Jackson, MS, Miami, FL, Justin, TX, San Antonio, TX, Dallas, TX, Atlanta, GA, Berea, OH, and Salisbury, MD, to name a few. Through these ongoing efforts, Americans learned more about updated COVID-19 vaccines and got vaccinated at a wide range of events across the country, from sporting events to health fairs and more. through cultural festivities and trade fairs.

Increase awareness of the updated COVID-19 vaccine:

Activate healthcare workers to highlight vaccinations and treatments for older Americans: On Monday, a coalition of the nations’ leading medical societies stepped forward to encourage their member doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers that patients know and whom they trust to use every patient interaction as an opportunity to make strong recommendations to get vaccinated against COVID-19, educate and answer questions about prevention and treatment options, and where possible, provide the vaccination. Additionally, organizations such as the Black Coalition Against COVID, LeadingAge, AARP and the National Council of Aging will hold town halls with their thousands of members.

Reaching people with updated COVID-19 vaccine facts and information through paid media: HHS We Can Do This public education campaign runs television and digital ads during the World Cup, as well as ads aimed at to reach adults 50 and older for Black, Latino, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI), Native American and Alaska Native (AI/AN), and rural audiences.

Launching a Targeted Paid Media Effort to Encourage Older Americans to Speak with a Provider About Seeking Treatment if They Get COVID-19: HHS is launching a new targeted paid media effort urging Americans 50 and people with chronic illnesses to seek treatment immediately if they catch COVID-19. The national TV ad, Cant Wait, began airing November 21 in English and Spanish, with local TV ads airing in 46 markets across the country, as well as social, digital and social ads.

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