Vaccination Campaign Launches In Jeffco For Younger Population

JEFFERSON COUNTY, CO — A new marketing campaign aims to increase coronavirus vaccination rates among people ages 16 to 29 in Jefferson County, public health officials announced Thursday.

More than 6,000 teenagers and young adults completed surveys to help officials create the campaign, "You Can Be The Reason." A Zoom input session was also held with the demographic to help inform the campaign.

More than 70 percent of residents in the county have received at least one dose of their vaccine; however, only 62.3 percent of people ages 16 to 29 have received one dose, Jefferson County Public Health said. The low rate in that age category puts thousands of young people in the county at risk, said Dawn Comstock, the agency's executive director.

“It’s concerning to see lower COVID-19 vaccination rates among young people, because it means they remain at risk for illness, hospitalization and even death from COVID-19,” Comstock said.

“Because they can also spread the virus to others, it’s important for teens and young adults to get vaccinated now — especially with highly-transmissible variants like the Delta variant circulating. Being vaccinated also enables younger people to return to doing the things they love more safely. Getting vaccinated now is also critical for uninterrupted in-person learning and sports next school year.”

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The campaign "amplifies the agency of young people to make an impact, and focuses on the benefits of vaccination as identified by those in the target age range such as protecting themselves and their loved ones from the virus, as well as returning to beloved activities like in-person learning, attending events and safely gathering with family and friends," Jefferson County Public Health said in a news release.

"Additionally, the campaign aims to address commonly reported barriers to getting vaccinated by offering reliable vaccine safety education as well as information on how to access a free vaccine in convenient locations across the county. The campaign is being promoted across channels where young people reported they are most likely to see and hear it, including on the radio, on websites and across social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and TikTok."

To help partners and organizations share the campaign, Jefferson County Public Health has developed a communications toolkit with key messages, social media posts, posters and other educational materials.

“Teens and young adults have the power to help us turn a corner and recover from this pandemic, and that starts by getting a vaccine,” Comstock said.

“Our hope is that this campaign will motivate more young people in Jeffco to get a vaccine as soon as possible.”

>> Learn more about how to get vaccinated in Jefferson County here.