Alabama Public Health announces TikTok contest to encourage vaccinations

Alabama Public Health is starting to use some creative ways to encourage more Alabamians to get vaccinated. With a low vaccination rate across the state, only 30% of residents are fully vaccinated, leaders have had to find new ways to encourage vaccination. President Joe Biden recently called on younger Americans to get vaccinated and even has the star power to help. Singer Olivia Rodrigo recently met with Biden and Anthony Fauci to discuss ways to help the lagging vaccination rate in young people.

According to their website, the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) is sponsoring a TikTok contest for people between the ages of 13 and 29 to encourage vaccination against COVID-19 before the beginning of the school year. Contestants must submit a TikTok video showing themselves getting vaccinated and should include a message explaining, “This is why I got vaccinated.” ADHP will select four winners, and each will receive a $250 Visa gift card.

The Pfizer vaccine was made available for children under 18 in May. Since then only 37 percent of residents age 12 to 17 have gotten at least one dose and only 38 percent of 18 to 29-year-olds have received at least one dose reported Politico.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 56.2% of Americans have gotten at least one dose of the vaccine. The delta variant is much more contagious and most people who have complications from coronavirus are unvaccinated. COVID-19 cases have nearly tripled in the U.S. over two weeks.