Florida’s two largest health organizations, the Florida Hospital Association and the Florida Medical Association released a new series of public service announcements today promoting COVID-19 vaccines in English and Spanish. Partnering with the Florida Association of Broadcasters and hundreds of radio and television stations in every market in the state, these ads will run through the end of November. The broadcast spots will be supported by statewide digital advertising.
“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.”
“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,” said 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.”
60-second TV Public Service Announcement / English – “Mommy”
Juana Diaz, RN – COVID-19 ICU: “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.”
30-second TV Public Service Announcement / Spanish – “Normal”
Dr. Madelyn Espinosa Butler – OB/GYN: “Las infecciones de COVID han aumentado porque la nueva variación se transmite más fácilmente. La única forma que vamos a poder tener nuestra vida normal otra vez es que todo el mundo se vacune contra el COVID-19. Para poder volver a nuestros trabajos, a nuestras familias y todas las cosas que nosotros hacíamos normalmente antes de la pandemia. Para poder volver a la normalidad.”
30-second Radio Public Service Announcement / English – “After Effects”
Dr. Sanjay Pattani – Emergency Medicine Physician: “My name is Sanjay Pattani, and I’m an emergency medicine physician. It’s the after effects of getting COVID that the young population should be concerned about. There’s chronic fatigue syndrome, blood clotting disorders, heart problems. There are long chronic lung problems. The essence of this vaccine is not to prevent you from getting coronavirus. It is from preventing you from getting seriously ill and potentially dying.”
Additional PSAs will be released for broadcast and on social media in the future. The PSAs were filmed with Florida physicians and nurses in an unscripted setting.
About the Florida Hospital Association
Founded in 1927, the Florida Hospital Association is the leading voice for health care in the State of Florida. Through representation and advocacy, education and informational services, the Florida Hospital Association supports the mission of more than 200 hospitals and health care systems to provide the highest quality of care to the patients we serve. Led by President and CEO Mary Mayhew, the Florida Hospital Association has offices in Tallahassee and Orlando and is governed by a Board of Trustees and officers elected by the member institutions. For more information, visit www.fha.org.
About the Florida Medical Association Founded in 1874, the FMA is a professional association dedicated to the service and assistance of Doctors of Medicine and Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine in Florida. The FMA represents more than 25,000 members on issues of legislation and regulatory affairs, medical economics and education, public health, and ethical and legal issues. The association advocates for physicians and their patients to promote the public health, ensure the highest standards of medical practice, and to enhance the quality and availability of health care in the Sunshine State. For more information on the FMA, please visit www.flmedical.org, follow @FloridaMedical and like FB.com/FloridaMedical.
