FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 19, 2021
Contact: Lynn Sutfin, 517-241-2112

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has launched a statewide paid media campaign to inform Michiganders about the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine in response to research about attitudes toward the vaccine and to address vaccine hesitancy among Michigan residents.

“We want all Michiganders to get the facts about this safe and effective vaccine and the steps that were taken to develop it,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health. “I am grateful and proud to have gotten both doses of my vaccine and I urge Michiganders to make and plan and get vaccinated when it is their turn. This is the way forward out of the pandemic and our chance to return to a sense of normalcy.”

MDHHS is committed to accelerating vaccine delivery as we work to reach our goal of vaccinating 70% of Michiganders over age 16 as quickly as possible with the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccine is currently available to health care workers, long-term care residents and staff, Michiganders over age 65, preK-12, day care staff and other essential frontline workers.

The $1.5 million campaign was developed after conducting a statewide survey and six focus groups among key target audiences. It includes television, connected TV, radio, streaming audio, YouTube, search, print in minority publications, social media and digital media.

Digital ads with specific messaging and targeting parameters were also developed to connect with our vaccine hesitant segments.

According to research, 66% of Michiganders are likely or very likely to get the COVID-19 vaccine and 34% would like to get it as soon as possible. However, there are disparities when it comes to who is likely to get the vaccine with 47% of white Michiganders very likely to get the vaccine versus 25% of black Michiganders.

Top reasons for not getting the vaccine as soon as possible include concerns about side effects (67%); not wanting to feel like a test subject (66%); needing to know more about its safety (65%); wanting to learn more about how the vaccine performs over time (62%); needing to know more about its effectiveness (61%); and concerns about politicians pushing out the vaccine before it’s safe (58%).

Khaldun encourages Michiganders wanting to know more about the COVID-19 vaccine to visit Michigan.gov/COVIDVaccine. As new information is learned, it will be posted to this website.

Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.