(Albany, NY) – Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday the re-launch of the Covid #VaxtoSchool “statewide” campaign to increase COVID-19 vaccination rates among school-aged children in New Yorkers. But, #VaxtoSchool is not really a “statewide” campaign. Hochul completely ignored Tioga, Broome, Chemung, Chenango and other Southern Tier counties by not announcing plans for any so-called “pop-up” vaccination sites anywhere in the region.
By contrast, seven sites were announced Wednesday for the Western New York/Buffao area, ten for the Hudson Valley, and seven for the Fingers Lakes.
With nothing in her campaign for the Southern Tier, Hochul still used these all-inclusive words in her news release:
- “equitable access to vaccines …”
- “getting New Yorkers the resources they need to protect themselves …”
- “do all we can to protect our youngest New Yorkers …”
If you’re willing to travel outside the Southern Tier, resources and materials for parents and guardians of school-aged children and schools are available at ny.gov/vaxtoschool. The site includes vaccine information, and an FAQ for parents and guardians.
Additionally, the state’s Instagram channel, VaccinateNY, helps educate school-aged New Yorkers and their families about the COVID-19 vaccine directly. This social media platform provides approachable, interactive content with easy-to-understand vaccine information, prospective content partnerships, #VaxtoSchool social media design contests, and quick video explainers.
The goal is to ensure all New Yorkers have the facts about the COVID-19 vaccine. The New York State Department of Health will also amplify these digital education efforts across all its social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
