Milwaukee County Public Health Collaborative Announces New Campaigns Encouraging COVID-19 Booster and Flu Vaccinations in Low-Vaccine Rate Zip Codes

Milwaukee (December 7, 2022) – The Milwaukee County Public Health Collaborative (MCPHC) is announcing three public awareness campaigns designed to increase COVID-19 booster and flu vaccination rates among adults and children in Milwaukee’s lowest vaccinated neighborhoods this holiday season. Focusing on zip codes 53206, 53216, 53218, and 53210, Teach Your Body What to Do and Give Gifts Not Germs are combined COVID-19 and flu campaigns that target adults and parents of young children, and Bump Up Your Immunity targets people of all ages who have not received their updated COVID-19 booster and still have questions. The campaigns are supported by HealthyMKE.com, a local, multi-cultural and community-informed health information initiative. The Milwaukee Health Department funds them (MHD) and the Milwaukee Health Care Partnership (MHCP) Shared Community Investment Fund and received creative input from public-private organizations, including Milwaukee County, local health departments, health systems and health centers, and community representatives.

“These campaigns are built by the community for the community in collaboration with our public health leaders,” said Katie Lepak, Project Officer with the MCPHC. “As we continue to see increased cases of respiratory disease in Milwaukee, it is important that people of all ages get their flu vaccine and their updated COVID-19 booster if eligible. People still have questions, and that’s ok. We hope these campaigns address the questions and misinformation that persist around vaccinations, particularly about the updated COVID-19 booster.”

The Teach Your Body What to Do campaign educates how vaccinations teach our body to protect us from communicable diseases through relatable life experiences. The Give Gifts Not Germs holiday campaign builds on the excitement of family time and interactions during the holidays of all cultures to inspire vaccination at such a critical time. The Bump up Your Immunity campaign leverages local children and providers to directly address lingering questions and confusion about the updated COVID-19 booster, encouraging all to “bump” up their immunity. Targeting individuals of all ages, most of the campaigns will run on social media, YouTube, and search channels, with minimal spots on traditional TV.

“The holiday season is a time for gathering with our loved ones, but with COVID-19, flu, and other respiratory diseases circulating in our community, it’s important to prioritize gathering safely,” said Milwaukee Health Commissioner Kirsten Johnson. “We are grateful to HealthyMKE and the Milwaukee County Public Health Collaborative for partnering with us in the important, life-saving work of vaccinating Milwaukee. I am hopeful this initiative will encourage even more Milwaukeeans to get their immunizations before the holidays.”

Vaccination, for both COVID-19 and flu, is the best way to maintain immunity and protect yourself, your children, and your community, particularly ahead of the holidays. To learn more about the campaigns and for information on flu vaccines and the new, updated COVID-19 boosters, visit HealthyMKE.com.

Campaign materials are available for partners of all sectors to leverage with their communities. Find the campaign toolkit at www.healthymke.com/fall-comms.

 

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.