FDA Vaccine Approval Is A Critical Moment to Advocate for Vaccinations among Communities of Color, the Undecided

Made to Save Executive Director Chris Wyant Released the Following Remarks Regarding the FDA’s Approval of the Pfizer BioNTech Vaccine

August 23, 2021

Washington, D.C. – The Federal Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine marks a pivotal moment in Made to Save’s efforts to increase vaccination rates and equitable access to the COVID-19 vaccines among communities of color. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, three out of 10 unvaccinated people have said that FDA approval would make them more likely to get the COVID-19 vaccine (June 2021). Those rates are even higher among unvaccinated Black and Latino people.

After careful review of data from research studies and more than 200 million Pfizer doses administered in the US, the FDA approval confirms that the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is safe and highly effective, providing many individuals with the assurance needed before getting vaccinated. 

As the Delta variant causes COVID-19 case rates to climb, vaccinations remain the best pathway to reducing illness, hospitalizations, and deaths. Made to Save will continue advocating for equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines and providing reliable information for unvaccinated individuals who lack access or remain undecided.

In the coming weeks, we will continue to focus on grassroots mobilization in communities of color, which have been hardest hit by the pandemic; equip trusted messengers with accurate information about FDA approval and its impact; target communities with digital ads about approval and the importance of vaccination; host training events for individuals to learn what FDA approval means and how they can talk to their friends and family about vaccination with confidence; and, in partnership with our grantees and 500+ coalitions, we will continue our community-level activities such as vaccination clinics. 

We also will host press conferences and panel discussions in the coming weeks about the impact of approval on our target communities. 

ABOUT MADE TO SAVE

Made to Save is a national public education campaign rooted in grassroots organizing. Our goal is to build trust in the COVID-19 vaccines and increase access in communities who have been hit the hardest by this pandemic. Learn more here.

Made to Save an initiative of Civic Nation, a 501(c3) nonprofit organization.