Milwaukee County Public Health Collaborative announces new campaigns encouraging COVID-19 vaccinations in low-vaccine rate zip codes
Campaigns target parents of young kids and adults ages 65 and older
The Milwaukee County Public Health Collaborative (MCPHC) is announcing a two-part public awareness campaign designed to increase vaccination rates among young children and adults ages 65 and older in Milwaukee’s lowest vaccinated neighborhoods. Focusing on zip codes 53206, 53216, 53218, and 53210, Verified Voices targets parents of young children who have not received their primary series, and Boosted & Blessed targets people ages 65 and older who have not received their booster. The campaigns are supported by HealthyMKE.com, a local, multi-cultural and community-informed health information initiative and funded by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services Vaccine Community Outreach 2.0 grant. “These campaigns are built by the community for the community in collaboration with our public health leaders,” said Katie Lepak, Project Officer with the MCPHC.
“We’re proud of its authenticity and the local village that came together to make sure our messengers and messages resonate with our diverse audiences and address the questions and misinformation that persist around COVID-19 vaccination.” The Verified Voices campaign, focusing on parents of young children, addresses the power of social media and misinformation around COVID-19 vaccines and children. It encourages people to find factual resources they trust when making decisions about their children’s vaccination, such as health care providers. It also positions HealthyMKE as “certified and verified” by local trusted voices. This campaign includes four community influencers. They are: Kennaye Lewis (@kennaye_ lewis on IG), a recent winner of Netflix’s “Floor is Lava;” DJ The Barber (@ dj_thebarber on IG), a local celebrity barber; OG Tweezy (@ogtweezy414 on IG), a community leader and event promoter; and MUA Murby (@its.murby on IG), a makeup artist and entrepreneur. “Your health is wealth. Getting trusted information to make decisions about you and your family’s health is the key to protecting it.” said DJ The Barber. The Boosted & Blessed campaign focuses on people ages 65 and older and highlights the beauty of life as an older adult and the blessings worth protecting by being boosted. It features four local residents who share insight to their life story and reasons for “feeling blessed” and “being boosted.”
The local voices include: Ms. Debra, the gift shop manager and participant advocate at Milwaukee County’s Clinton Rose Senior Center; Ms. Val and Gwen, Silver Sneakers instructor and participant, and Mr. Henry and Justin, a local grandfather and grandson connected through gardening and family heritage. It also includes Mr. Muhammad, a long-standing community advocate and organizer, who was an NAACP organizer in the 1980s.
“I have nine children and 16 great-grandchildren I want to be here for,” shared Mr. Muhammad. “When it comes to a booster, both my doctor and my faith guided me to ensure I am not only boosted, but in my continued healthy life, I stay blessed.” COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are the best way to maintain immunity and protect yourself, your children, and your community. To learn more about the campaigns and information on COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, visit HealthyMKE.com.
