COVID Action Group wants effective vax communication drive
Published:Wednesday | August 11, 2021 | 12:38 PM
A newly formed advocacy group, the COVID Action Group, wants the government to use the broadest range of Jamaican skills and professionals to drive a more effective vaccination communication plan.
Convenor, attorney-at-law K.D. Knight, said the current plan to use elected representatives at the local level is not likely to succeed if politicians are left to carry the message.
“That's our reality, and it's a reality that says a significant number of Jamaicans are not going to buy in”, said Knight.
The Government has been pushing for elected representatives to help drive the vaccination message in an effort to encourage greater community support.
Knight said the community approach should not rely on councillors when many are unpopular, obscure, and unknown to their electors.
He proposes that the popularity of Jamaican athletes and entertainers and neutral persons with a natural following be tapped to carry the vaccination message.
In addition, Knight says radio stations, shopping centres, tax offices and transport centres, among other commercial outlets, should be inundated with messaging on the efficacy of the vaccines.
Knight said his group strongly believes that the fight against the coronavirus was too important to be left in great part to the Health Minister and his Opposition counterpart.
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