County Executive Olszewski and Senator J.B. Jennings Partner for Vaccine Education
TOWSON, MD — As part of Baltimore County’s "Healing Starts Here" campaign, Baltimore County day released a new public service announcement featuring County Executive Johnny Olszewski alongside State Senator J.B. Jennings (R-D7) to continuing educating residents about the safety, ease, and importance of getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
"Baltimore County is proud to be a statewide leader in providing lifesaving vaccinations and we’ll continue to do what we can to make it as easy as possible for every resident to get their shot,” Olszewski said. "These new ads are showing that public health is not a partisan issue and it’s up to all of us to do our part so we can return to normal as quickly as possible.”
“"It is my sincere pleasure to work alongside County Executive Olszewski to help bring awareness to the safety, efficacy and accessibility of the COVID-19 vaccine," Jennings said. "Our partnership proves that getting vaccinated isn't a political issue, but rather a way of protecting ourselves and our fellow citizens for the promise of a better tomorrow."
The County’s "Healing Starts Here" campaign aims to increase public confidence in the safety, efficacy, and necessity of COVID-19 vaccines by enlisting the support of trusted voices — including athletes, faith leaders, medical experts, and social media influencers — to address common concerns, provide accurate and relevant information, and share their personal stories.
The campaign has enlisted a diverse coalition of spokespeople, including Baltimore Ravens Pro Bowl Cornerback Marlon Humphrey, Baltimore Orioles Centerfielder Cedric Mullins, Archbishop of Baltimore Rev. William E. Lori, WBAL-AM Host Yuripzy Morgan, and 92Q Radio Personality Persia Nicole.
Since beginning the campaign, the County has made significant progress in eliminating disparities in vaccination rates among key demographics.
For example, the percentage of Black residents ages 65 and over who had received a vaccine increased from 61 percent as of March 31st to 74 percent as of April 30th and the percentage of Hispanic residents vaccinated ages 65 and older increased from 59 percent to 73 percent. Over that same period, the percentage of white residents vaccinated ages 65 and older increased from 57 percent to 71 percent.
Baltimore County will continue to engage in outreach in the coming weeks to encourage vaccinations for all populations.
View the Healing Starts Here Community Toolkit here.