The Genesee County Legislature, in a special Committee of the Whole meeting minutes ago, approved a contract with Common Ground Health of Rochester to join forces with Causewave Community Partners, also of Rochester, to conduct a regional marketing and outreach campaign promoting the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Genesee County's cost of the $150,000 initiative, which will focus on the rural counties of the Finger Lakes Region, is $15,171.10 -- using federal grant money.
"We believe this is a small investment of federal dollars to go toward outreach efforts to educate the hard-to-reach people and the vaccine hesitant," County Manager Matt Landers said. "The campaign is not designed to sway people who have already made up their minds concerning vaccination."
The resolution states that the proposed marketing and outreach strategy will consist of purchased advertising in a number of local and regional outlets, earned media, and targeted direct mailings to particular populations within the region.
It also indicates that public health directors and county leaders see a "pressing need to undertake the campaign to increase vaccine uptake rates and to try to slow the increase of cases, hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19."
Landers said wording in the contract includes the opportunity for the county to be reimbursed should the agreement be terminated before all services are rendered.
