NAB president Gordon Smith will testify at a Hill hearing next week on getting the message out about vaccine availability.
The hearing, titled "Shot of Truth," is being held Thursday, April 15, at 10 a.m. in the Senate Communications Subcommittee, chaired by Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.).
Also Read: NAB Joins COVID-19 Collaborative
It will look at ways the media is providing vaccine safety and COVID-19-related information to encourage the public, particularly in rural areas, to get vaccinated.
The hearing announcement also suggests that the media need some help "promoting reliable and trustworthy vaccine information."
Also testifying will be Dr. Tracie Collins, secretary of the New Mexico Department of Health, and Dr. Yonaira Rivera, assistant professor of communications at Rutgers.
Also Read: Local Media Considered Best Source for Vaccine Reporting
Back in January, NAB teamed with the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI) and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) to create an online toolkit to help journalists educate the public about the importance of getting the COVID-19 vaccination.
NAB is also a member of the COVID Collaborative, which comprises groups and experts working on a unified approach to the COVID-19 pandemic.
President Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief plan includes $1 billion for "vaccine confidence, information, and education activities."
