MUNICOMM
Mount Dora firefighters distribute vaccinations at Saving Faith Baptist Church.
MESSAGING
Vaccines for the Underserved City staff get creative to reach the reluctant When COVID-19 vaccines first started to emerge, it was as if Americans could breathe a collective sigh of relief and had a glimmer of hope that life could return to normal. But there were Floridians who were and undoubtedly still are less than enthused by the vaccine. Perhaps some were fearful due to concerns about the side effects, effectiveness or even the history that specific populations have had with medical treatment in America. Enter local government communications. While the onus has primarily fallen on the county health departments, municipalities also felt responsible for providing equity, access and information about the COVID-19 vaccine. In some municipalities, it was essential to have spokespeople with whom 52 QUALITY CITIES | THIRD QUARTER 2021
by Kara Irby Florida League of Cities underserved populations and community members could identify. Commissioner Bakari Burns of the City of Orlando went door to door to educate residents about the vaccine and where to get one. The City of Cocoa posted a video with Cocoa Deputy Mayor Alex Goins talking about the importance of getting vaccinated. “Hearing it from someone in their own community we hoped would help spread the word about this very important event and get more people to understand the importance of getting vaccinated,” said Samantha Senger, Assistant to the City Manager and Public Information Officer. For many cities, it was about location
and getting the vaccine to the areas where it might otherwise be a struggle for residents to have access due to lack of transportation or other issues. For example, the City of Orlando had mobile vaccine sites throughout the city, with a significant vaccine distribution during the outdoor Orlando Fringe Festival. The City of Gainesville partnered with the University of Florida College of Medicine’s Mobile Outreach Clinic to provide the vaccine. Information on the clinic was distributed electronically through an e-newsletter to city residents. The email was also translated into Spanish. Both the city’s Facebook page as well as the clinic’s included information about vaccine distribution. Gainesville Fire Rescue , through its front-line responders and the Community
PHOTO COURTESY OF CITY OF MOUNT DORA
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