Campaign takes aim at vaccine skeptics

With coronavirus cases on the rise and communities returning to lockdown across the country, a marketing push is underway to persuade skeptical Americans to immunize themselves once vaccines are ready.

The federal government, which has sentmixed messages about a pandemic that has caused more than 262,000 deaths nationwide, is not leading the charge. Instead, the private sector is backing a planned $50 million campaign to persuade people to protect themselves at a time when polls have suggested that more than

40% of adult Americans are not confident in a potential vaccine.

The Ad Council, a nonprofit advertising group, led a similar effort in the 1950s, when it urged Americans to get vaccinated against polio. Its

COVID-19 vaccination push will be one of the largest public education crusades in history, the group said. The group will begin rolling out public service announcements across airwaves, publications and social media next year, when vaccines are expected to be approved and made available to the public.

“Frankly, this is the biggest public health crisis we’ve ever faced, andwe don’t have time to waste,” said Lisa Sherman, the group’s chief executive.

While the drug companies Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca have announced promising updates on the vaccines they aredeveloping, President-elect Joe Biden has blamed President Donald Trump for causing anxiety about the safety of potential immunization efforts. Anti-vaccine sentiment has been growing for decades, driven in part by a backlash against pharmaceutical companies.

Only 58% of American adults said they were willing to take a coronavirus vaccine, according to a Gallup poll conducted between Oct. 19 andNov. 1.