MIAMI, Fla. – Miami-Dade and Broward counties are teaming up with the Health Foundation of South Florida to address what officials are seeing as a softening of vaccine demand.
They’ve launched a multi-lingual regional campaign to target vaccine hesitancy at a time when Broward County’s mayor says hospitalizations are up.
[RELATED: See more about the “I Did It” campaign.]
“We are in unfortunately in the middle of a surge,” said Steve Geller, Broward County’s mayor.
The campaign is called “I Did It” and features various local faces in targeted ads both in print and television explaining why they got their COVID-19 vaccination shot. The campaign’s message is: “From neighbors who’ve already taken the vaccine and those helping others do the same. All have said, “I Did It.”
Miami-Dade County’s Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said vaccine demand is softening and that is why the timing for “I Did It” is right.
“The timing is perfect because we are entering a period of vaccine persuasion.”
On Wednesday, Jackson Health System, citing a decrease in demand for appointments, announced it will stop providing first Pfizer doses at its vaccination sites at the end of the month. After that, they will give second doses through May 21.
South Florida is at a 40 percent vaccination rate.
“It’s not good enough,” Cava said.
With variants in the mix, infectious disease experts said it may take 80 percent of the community to get vaccinated to reach herd immunity.
“We are seeking to increase confidence in the COVID vaccine trying especially in the Black and Latino communities,” Loreen Chant, President and CEO of the Health Foundation of South Florida, said.
Geller urged leaders to step up.
“We have to get faith-based leaders, community leaders in each and every group to get shots in the arm to get over this,” he said.