August 20, 2020
“Vaccines defend what matters – our health, jobs, families.” A new Texas Medical Association (TMA) ad campaign featuring that message will air during the Democratic and Republican conventions to remind Texans of the many ways vaccinations protect us.
The ads will run in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio areas on select cable news channels. They air today (Thursday) during the Democratic National Convention coverage, and next Thursday, Aug. 27, during the Republican National Convention.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us what can happen when we don’t have a vaccine for a highly contagious disease,” said TMA President Diana L. Fite, MD, of Houston, quoting the ad. “Diseases impact our physical health, and they can affect our jobs and our economy.”
A 2019 Gallup poll showed the majority of Americans (72%) say vaccinations are safe. Despite this, declining vaccination rates in Texas have made the Lone Star State vulnerable to disease outbreaks. Texas was among the states with a measles outbreak in 2019, a disease that was declared eliminated in 2000.
While we wait for a vaccine to protect against COVID-19, physicians want to remind Texans about the importance of vaccinations. “When we all do what we can to stay healthy, including getting our vaccinations, Texas benefits,” said Dr. Fite.
The ads will air on the CNN, MSNBC, and FOX networks.
TMA is the largest state medical society in the nation, representing more than 53,000 physician and medical student members. It is located in Austin and has 110 component county medical societies around the state. TMA’s key objective since 1853 is to improve the health of all Texans.
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Contact: Brent Annear (512) 370-1381; cell: (512) 656-7320
Marcus Cooper (512) 370-1382; cell: (512) 650-5336
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