Sixty-five years ago, mega-star Elvis Presley was vaccinated against polio on the widely watched Ed Sullivan television show. Millions felt reassured — especially teenagers — and followed the singer’s lead, helping to defeat the deadly disease.
Today, health authorities again need to persuade reluctant Americans to get vaccinated, this time to combat COVID-19. Nothing short of an end to the pandemic is at stake.
Celebrities will do their part once again. Basketball Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, for example, has taped a message aired during NBA games, encouraging others get the vaccine.
But the communications effort to defeat COVID-19 will also rely heavily on hyper-local messaging featuring non-celebrities at times identified by just their first names.
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