Kelly Hayes
The Sunshine State’s life sciences association BioFlorida is launching an educational campaign aimed at informing Floridians about COVID-19 vaccines to promote confidence in the shots.
The campaign consists of a “COVID-19 Vaccine Facts” sheet that links individuals to third-party scientific and evidenced-based information related to the vaccine development and distribution process. The campaign includes topics about the vaccine like safety, efficacy, availability and affordability.
“Organizations from all over the world including our Florida-based companies, research organizations, universities, health systems and labs have made significant advancements to discover the vaccines, therapeutics and other tools to address COVID-19,” said Nancy Bryan, President and CEO of BioFlorida, in a news release.
Despite the eagerness of many Floridians to receive a vaccine against COVID-19, the life sciences association hopes to combat lingering skepticism over the shot. The organization cited a national poll that showed up to 30% of Americans say they are not sure if they will get the vaccine.
“We all have unique roles in the COVID-19 fight, and we hope BioFlorida’s COVID-19 Vaccine Facts online resource will serve as a comprehensive resource for our companies, community partners, and government officials to educate the public on the scientifically rigorous, transparent, and safety-focused vaccine development process to build trust in our industry’s unprecedented response to this pandemic,” Bryan said.
The BioFlorida vaccine facts page, which is translated in English and Spanish, includes answers to “frequently asked questions” related to vaccine development and distribution.
The site’s current top questions are:
— Can I get the vaccine with a pre-existing condition?
— Will I still need to wear a mask after I get vaccinated?
— Will the vaccine make me sick with Covid-19?
The resource will continue to be updated in partnership with the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO). The resources have been independently reviewed by health experts and incorporate several visual elements to help explain concepts like herd immunity, emergency use authorization and more, according to BioFlorida.
BioFlorida has also aggregated vaccine resources on distribution, corporate guidance and news from Florida companies making a difference in the fight against COVID-19.
BioFlorida is a statewide association that represents 6,700 establishments and research organizations in the biopharmaceutical, medical technology, and bioagriculture sectors that collectively employ 94,000 Floridians.
