Baltimore Vs. COVID Campaign Commercial to Air Today

BALTIMORE, MD. (Monday, January 10, 2022) — As part of the Baltimore Vs. COVID Campaign, the Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD), in partnership with the Mayor’s Office and the Office of Performance and Innovation (OPI), will air a vaccine awareness PSA on cable and broadcast television beginning today. 

“This is about showing that we are all in this together,” said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. “With the recent rise in cases and the heavy burden being placed on our hospitals, it is incredibly important that we convince unvaccinated residents to get their shots. Even with the Omicron Variant, vaccination remains the best defense against serious COVID infections.” 

"Engaging trusted neighborhood leaders and community advocates from our varied communities can save lives during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said BCHD Commissioner Dr. Letitia Dzirasa. “When we leverage their voice and message about the importance of the COVID-19 vaccination series, they help to further provide residents with the tools necessary to make informed decisions.  As a result, consistent communication about the vaccination from credible messengers is mutually beneficial." 

The commercial will air starting today, Monday, January 10, 2022. 

The PSA highlights the diversity of reasons real Baltimore City residents of all ages, backgrounds and demographics decided to get the vaccine, using their own words and personal stories. It focuses on the pragmatic, and personal, reasons that Baltimore City residents received the vaccine — continuing BCHD’s use of credible messengers to educate unvaccinated residents on the importance of getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Baltimore versus COVID video is part of a city Health Department campaign that promotes public health messages. The campaign was informed by city residents, conceptualized and designed by the Mayor’s Office of Performance and Innovation (OPI) in collaboration with the Health Department. Transit ads featuring a variety of community members and COVID public safety messages are up across the city. Advertisements have also been running across social media platforms. 

Mayor Scott and BCHD Commissioner Dr. Letitia Dzirasa have received national recognition for Baltimore’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic — especially for the City’s use of data, credible messengers, and targeted programming to assist vulnerable residents.

Vaccines are widely available, residents can visit https://coronavirus.baltimorecity.gov/covid-19-vaccine-information/weekly-schedule-vaccination-clinics for the weekly schedule, or call the COVID Call Center at (443) 984-8650 for more information. 

The campaign and video were created in collaboration with Baltimore City residents and community leaders. The PSA features a diverse number of residents, business owners, and city employees:

• Mayor Brandon M. Scott
• Dr. Letitia Dzirasa, Baltimore City Health Department Commissioner 
• Ms. Klara Annibal, Vaccination Clinic Coordinator
• Ms. Cathy Costa, Vaccination Clinic Coordinator
• Cynthia Brooks, BCHD Healthcare worker
• Jerome Ragsdale, DPW Sanitation Manager
• Eze Jackson, musician
• Aya, Soccer Without Borders athlete
• Rosalyn Vera, owner of Cocina Luchadoras 
• Pastor Milton Williams, Pastor at Pennsylvania Avenue AME Zion Church
• Michael and the Henley Family
• Carlos Raba, The Guardian Gym founder, Clavel Co-Owner and Chef 
• Dapper Dan Midas (DDM), musician
• Troy Staton, Hair Masters Barbershop
• Shirl Parnell, Resident who experienced a COVID loss
• Shawnte Grimes, Pregnant resident at Vaccination Clinic

Watch the PSA below: