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January 25, 2022

Maryland Section of Health and fitness makes GoVAX ‘Real Kids’ campaign to stimulate mothers and fathers to vaccinate kids 5 to 11 yrs old
Children explain in their personal words and phrases why it’s important to be vaccinated 

Baltimore, MD – The Maryland Division of Overall health (MDH) has created a new sequence of tv, radio and social media advertisements featuring “Real Kids” — youngsters aged 5 to 11 detailing why they received vaccinated from COVID 19 — as part of its statewide GoVAX marketing campaign. Interviews with the children ended up conducted more than the past couple weeks at vaccination clinics in Baltimore City and Howard County and at a private pediatrics follow in Columbia.

“We know some mothers and fathers are getting a ‘wait and see’ method, even even though they intend to get their kids vaccinated finally. We urge these dad and mom not to wait around and to get their youngsters vaccinated as soon as feasible. The vaccines are harmless and effective for kids and carry on to be our finest defense in opposition to significant health issues, hospitalization and dying,” said MDH Secretary Dennis R. Schrader.

Children aged 5 to 11 were being licensed by the U.S. Foods and Drug Administration (Food and drug administration) to obtain the Pfizer COVID vaccine on October 29, 2021. To date, 40 % of Maryland small children in this age group have been given at least one dose of the two-dose program.​

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“It’s vital to stress to all dad and mom and guardians that vaccines support defend their children in opposition to serious disease,” mentioned MDH Deputy Secretary of General public Health Dr. Jinlene Chan. “We’ve observed an uptick in outbreaks in faculties recently, and we know how critical it is to continue to keep young children in college for in-human being learning. The more young children who get vaccinated, the improved our possibilities of retaining children in the classroom and letting them to participate in the routines they enjoy.”

Youngsters showing up in the “Real Kids” movies give many good reasons for wanting to get vaccinated, ranging from returning to soccer observe and owning sleepovers with close friends to seeking to stop by grandparents or using a cruise with their moms and dads. Just about all comprehended the value of getting secured versus the disorder and explained currently being vaccinated as “getting a very little pinch.” 

Seven-year-aged Roslyn from Baltimore stated she required to get vaccinated to support defend her tiny sister, who is also young to get the vaccine herself. “It was easier than I imagined it was heading to be,” Roslyn mentioned. “I was a very little a lot more nervous than afraid.”

“Since I have the vaccine, I consider my mothers and fathers will be concerned significantly less,” mentioned Chandler, 10, of Columbia, who also documented currently being pleased and relieved to be vaccinated.

The state’s multipronged GoVAX marketing campaign, initially launched a yr in the past, encourages all Marylanders to guard on their own, their families and their communities by obtaining vaccinated as soon as they turn out to be qualified. 

Since its debut, the marketing campaign has highlighted Tv set, radio, outside and digital advertising, social media, grassroots outreach by doorway-to-door canvassing, digital city halls, the use of seem vans in qualified neighborhoods and neighborhood-centered messaging as a result of doctors’ places of work, barbershops and salons.

The campaign has included testimonies from dozens of “trusted leaders” throughout the state as GoVAX Ambassadors, together with doctors, 1st responders, faith and group leaders, sports figures, investigation scientists, wellbeing officers, elected officers and other individuals.

“As a pediatrician and a parent, I feel about all the regimen vaccines we give our young ones. We know photographs are efficient and they hold young ones risk-free,” said Dr. Letitia Dzirasa, Well being Commissioner for Baltimore Town and GoVAX Ambassador. “Protecting this inhabitants is important to maintaining them in college. They’ve skipped so a great deal having to be digital, so we want to make confident they are in a position to keep in school and study safely.”

“We’ve been performing quite very well vaccinating 5- to 11-year-olds so much, but we have to continue to keep pushing. We also need to have to continue pushing vaccination with 12- to 17-yr-olds,” claimed Dr. Monique Soileau-Burke, a pediatrician in Columbia, Vice President of the Maryland Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and GoVAX Ambassador. “And for the college little ones, properly, I’m going to speak instantly to them — Get your shot and do your element.”

To day, Maryland has administered practically 11 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, with extra than 4.9 million Marylanders getting at minimum a single dose. 

For a lot more data about COVID-19 vaccines and the GoVAX campaign, go to covidLINK.maryland.gov.

For the most latest Maryland COVID-19 vaccine details, go to coronavirus.maryland.gov

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