BrandGOV Sets Up Public Outreach, Education Campaign to Tackle Misinformation About Covid Vaccine

FAIRFIELD, Calif. - Feb. 24, 2022 - PRLog -- BrandGOV has launched a public outreach and education campaign to combat vaccine hesitancy in Solano County.  The effort is being run as part of the company's community initiative, Empower Solano, and is funded by a $65,000 grant from Together Toward Health (TTH), a program of the Public Health Institute (PHI).

"Vaccine hesitancy refers to a person's reluctance to get a vaccine for a communicable disease even when they know one is available," says K. Patrice Williams, BrandGOV's CEO and executive director for Empower Solano.  "Our campaign is designed to ease reluctance by meeting people where they are; acknowledging their fears and giving them science-based facts that answer any questions they may have."

The TTH grant is meant to bring more resources to historically underserved communities where Covid has had a significant impact.  Currently, BrandGOV's efforts are being concentrated in Fairfield, Vacaville, Suisun, and Vallejo.

Strategies being used include having outreach staff at public events; speaking at community and civic organizations' meetings; partnering with churches and schools to distribute written information about the Covid-19 vaccine and available testing; canvassing designated neighborhoods; and posting messages on several social media platforms.  The campaign is ongoing and will continue through June.

"Vaccine hesitancy in Solano County is no different than it is in any other county or country," Williams says.  "Young people tend to believe they are invincible and don't need it; there is a lot of mistrust of the government; fear of how quickly the vaccine was developed; and some concern, especially among black and brown communities, that the government is using the vaccine as a sterilization and population control tool.  Our outreach teams have heard it all and we work to counter all of the misinformation."

Blacks, Hispanics and multi-racial residents have some of the lowest vaccination rates in the county at 65.5%, 70.7% and 53.2% respectively, according to information posted on the Solano County Public Health Department's Covid-19 Dashboards.   Eighty-one percent (81%) of all eligible Solano County residents have gotten at least one vaccine shot.  By city, among all residents, Vacaville has the lowest vaccination rate at 75.3%, followed by Suisun at 77.1% and Fairfield at 83.6%, according to the same source.

To have a speaker at your meeting or a Vaccine Hesitancy Outreach Team at your event, call 707-561-9451, ext. 701 or email lisa@brandgov.com.  To learn more about Empower Solano, please visit www.empowersolano.com.

The Public Health Institute, an independent nonprofit organization, is dedicated to promoting health, well-being and quality of life for people throughout California, across the nation and around the world.  Together Toward Health is funded by over 20 philanthropic foundations to support community-based organizations to expand community outreach and workforce development opportunities for Californians most impacted by Covid-19.  To learn more, please visit www.togethertowardhealth.org.

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About BrandGOV, LLC

BrandGOV, LLC is a full-service public outreach firm, specializing in public engagement, marketing, social media/digital plans, and in-person grassroots, safe, events designed to meet the unique needs of customers.  Established in 2012, we are a Black, state certified woman-owned, community-focused business.  Our highest priority is low and socially disadvantaged communities.  We use powerful collaborations and partnerships to lift and make communities better. To find out more about our services, successful projects and areas of expertise, please visit, www.brandgov.com.