Florida healthcare leaders release PSAs promoting vaccines

by | Aug 19, 2021



The Florida Hospital Association (FHA) and the Florida Medical Association (FMA), two of the state’s largest health organizations, are releasing a series of public service announcements on Thursday to encourage unvaccinated Floridians to get the shot.

Partnering with the Florida Association of Broadcasters (FAB), the pair are set to release the PSAs to hundreds of radio and television stations in every market in the state. The ads, which will be featured in both English and Spanish, will run through the end of November and will promote the vaccines to Florida’s younger population. The broadcast spots will also be supported by statewide digital advertising.

“Young people may think they are invincible, but there are many after-effects of getting COVID-19 that physicians are seeing having an impact on their younger, unvaccinated patients,” added Doug Murphy Jr., MD, President of the Florida Medical Association. “Long-term health concerns shouldn’t be a lifetime sentence for those who took a chance in not getting the vaccine. Don’t take that chance. Get vaccinated.”

One of the PSAs, a 60-second TV spot titled “Mommy,” features an FHA nurse recalling an emotional event that could’ve been prevented with the vaccine.

“We’re still in the same circumstances that we were when there wasn’t a vaccine. Where you’re watching people just pass away. You know, and just — it’s so devastating to watch unfold. We had someone in her 30s, a young mommy. She left her husband and three little kids, ages four, two, eight. They’re saying, ‘Mommy, come home. Mommy, I miss you.’ She’s not saying anything because she’s intubated. It’s rough. It’s rough to watch every day. It’s very rough,” Juana Diaz recounts in the video.

FHA and FMA say they hope the PSAs will help shed light on the seriousness of the delta variant, which continues to ravage communities across the country.

“The overwhelming majority of the people currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in Florida are unvaccinated,” said Mary C. Mayhew, President and CEO of the Florida Hospital Association. “The delta variant is ravaging younger and unvaccinated people. If you don’t think this could happen to you, listen to one of our nurses sadly recall the passing of a young woman in her 30s who left behind a husband and three young children.”

1 Comment

  1. fromthegulfofflorida

    Propaganda or product? All depends on the targeted audience, right? Either or, it’s the same thing, and this article is designed to promote fear.

    Floridian’s will not live in fear, we will choose freedom. Fear is a choice, and so is life.