COVID-19 Public Health Campaign to Be Launched. Who Will Be Included?

A COVID-19 public health campaign worth $250 million is being considered to be introduced to the public, said the Department of Health and Human Services.

According to the health agency, the COVID-19 public health campaign could include some communication and public relation experts and possibly include Hollywood actors, sports figures, and music artists.

This came after U.S. President Donald Trump received backlash saying that the federal government is not doing enough to address the health crisis.

According to an official unauthorized to speak, Dr. Anthony Fauci followed this idea in a Zoom call with some 30 celebrities earlier this year.

The celebrities were allowed to ask the country's top infectious disease expert anything they wanted.

The call was said to last more than an hour.

The call suggested that American people have the same questions the celebrities have, the official said.

The agency decided it might need a COVID-19 public health campaign to have public figures ask top Coronavirus Task Force doctors and scientists questions for a series one-minute public health ads.

However, these raised concerns to critics, questioning whether the public relations push was aimed at boosting Trump's reelection chances.

Critics added that this might be the case rather than informing the public on the health crisis, six months after the first U.S. case was detected.

Many weeks ago, the public health agency sent out communications firms a "performance work statement.

This includes what work will be expected from the winning firm. The document also states that a huge majority of the money will be spent from now until January.

Included in the document are the lists of goals of the said campaign.

This includes "defeat despair and inspire hope," and sharing best practices for businesses to operate in the new normal.

One of the goals was also to promote confidence to return to work and restart the economy.

"By harnessing the power of traditional, digital and social media, the sports and entertainment industries, public health associations, and other creative partners to deliver important public health and economic information, the administration can defeat despair, inspire hope and achieve national recovery." The document was quoted.

HHS said that part of this document's targets would be businesses, workplaces, colleges, faith organizations, child care programs, and law enforcement people.

The contract's main goal will be to make a public service advertisement to persuade people to "engage in behavior that touted health behaviors and good citizenship.

Between 10 to 12 firms have expressed their interest in participating in the said contract-most of which are not major well-known communication firms.

HHS press secretary Michael Caputo confirmed that the agency has reached out to public relations firms on a possible $250 million effort.

Caputo declined to provide further details on where the contract stands in the federal procurement procedure.

"This project is about public health, not politics, and America deserves no less. I'm confident the politicians who actually care about public health will soon see the results and appreciate the effort," Caputo was quoted.

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