The media and several companies will be assisting the Biden administration in its campaign for vaccine eligibility. Social media giants Facebook, Twitter, and Snap will be some of them. The campaign for coronavirus eligibility for all adults is planned to be launched on April 19th.

The Reach and Influence of Twitter Followers on Social Media Networks

Time and time again, social media has proven to be more than just a way for people to pass the time. They have been active in responding to the issues of the world. From banning problematic people from their country to hearing the cries of the token minority, social media has done a lot. They served as platforms where people can exercise their freedom of speech and expression. Likewise, they have been used as a way to reach every individual’s voice. In short, social media have been utilized to raise awareness. Whether awareness about drugs, mental health, or information on the state of a nation.

Right now, the hottest topic is the coronavirus of 2019 (COVID-19). Facebook and Twitter have not been short on spreading awareness about the disease. They served as a medium for the public to know how they could acquire the virus, what the disease’s symptoms are, and what to do if one felt sick. In addition to that, Social Media Sites posted updates on the current situation of the patients and the progress in the development of a cure. Social Media has also exerted efforts in stopping misinformation about the said disease. 

US President Joe Biden aims to use this power of social media to encourage people to get vaccinated. 

What Role Will Social Media Play in Whitehouse’s Campaign

All US citizens ages 16 and above are eligible to get vaccine shots. The administration says that they hope to target constituencies that may have higher rates of vaccine hesitancy. For the reason that, if they do not change their minds, the US will fail to achieve herd immunity. Biden’s administration plans to do a media blitz to accomplish this mission. During the effort, they are putting officials and doctors on television and radio interviews. Reports say that Vice President Kamala Harris will also be involved with the media push. Meanwhile, Facebook and Twitter will send out push alerts to notify users that they’re eligible to receive the vaccine. While clips of the vaccination will be uploaded by the president’s chief medical adviser, Anthony Fauci, on Snapchat to target young people. 

In addition to these, the administration is handing out social media toolkits to Community Corps members. The toolkits contain sample posts and tweets the members can post to create awareness about COVID-19 vaccination eligibility

Responses to The Verge

The Verge sent emails to the three companies and to the Whitehouse to learn more about the media blitz. Here are their responses:

.In an email sent to The Verge by a Snap spokesperson, he confirmed that they have been in touch with the White House regarding efforts to spread awareness of vaccine eligibility among Snapchatters. He also stated that Snap is doing what it can to help the community during the pandemic. Though the Snap spokesperson did not elaborate, he could be pertaining to Snap’s Here For You tool. Like the deadline for states to open Coronavirus vaccine eligibility to all adults, the launch of this tool was also moved to an earlier date. 

The Here For You tool was originally designed to help raise mental health awareness. This tool will show what they called “safety resources” from mental health experts when users search about mental disorders or bullying. Now, they have added a coronavirus section to this tool. It will surface content talking about anxiety related to coronavirus. These materials will come from trusted sources like the World Health Organization (WHO), Crisis Text Line, Ad council, NHS, and the CDC.

Twitter also confirmed that they are keeping in touch with the Whitehouse, but that is all the information they revealed. On the other hand, Facebook and the Whitehouse did not send any response. 

Why is the Help of Social Media Needed?

As stated above, the administration wants to reach populations who are less likely to take vaccine shots. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), half of all US adults have received at least one vaccine as of now. However, the government is afraid of an increase in vaccine hesitancy. This concern came from the decision to pause the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. They are worried that this could instill fear and doubts in the minds of the people. This action may make people think that they have discovered something wrong with the vaccine. Which could be true.

The pause on the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was suggested by the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration. It was after six people who received the shot experienced unusual blood clots. The suspension will be used to find out if the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is causing this issue. The CDC even has its own Twitter account, and followers advocate the humorous idea of buying Twitter followers on and for the CDC account as a way to help promote their ideas and campaign.

Fauci said that the pause will be lifted. Though, the usage of the vaccine will either have a restriction or will be accompanied by a warning. Sure, there are other vaccines available but this case could affect how people, not only in the US but also in the rest of the world, see vaccines.

The Importance of the Mission

The pandemic caused by the coronavirus has been going for too long. It started back in 2020, and now one year has passed. Unfortunately, we are still confined in our homes for fear of contracting the virus. Although there is still no direct cure, vaccines have been developed. As they say, prevention is better than cure. So, we all must get vaccinated. It will allow us to have herd immunity, which would stop the spread of the virus. 

However, there are still people who refuse to do so. As a result, we may never achieve herd immunity, and this pandemic could be never-ending.

Hopefully, with the aid of social media networks, the doubts about vaccines could be erased. Then we can finally see this coronavirus as a problem of the past.