A new attempt to change minds of NJ vaccine holdouts? Let it go (Opinion)

Ever since the rollout of the various vaccine programs for COVID-19, we have been bombarded with nothing but vaccine information and promotions.

At first, people who had been anxiously awaiting the arrival of the vaccine flew to every venue that offered it, waiting online for hours, desperately calling for appointments.

Then there were the reluctant ones. And through tons of “awareness” campaigns, and ramping up of production, those people, too, flocked to get the job.

Then there were the real stubborn holdouts. Those who, for whatever reason, the government assumed still couldn’t find the vaccine or still didn’t know enough about it.

While I find it hard to believe that there could be anybody who didn’t know enough about it, eventually many of those people fell in line and took the shot.

I feel like at this point, anybody, college student or not, who wanted the shot has gotten the shot. Every commercial, every speech shaming those who hadn’t had it yet, every celebrity speaking out for the shot on his or her platform still did not convince some people. So how is it possible that there are still people out there that the state government thinks they can convince?

Apparently, there are. According to New Jersey 101.5's Jen Ursillo, it’s going to be a college kid who creates the promotion to finally convince a fellow college student, the hold out, their peer, to roll up your sleeve.

The “Step Up Vax Up" video and podcast contest challenges college students to create digital content in the form of a video, podcast, or social media post, share about COVID-19 and encourage their peers to get vaccinated.

The winner of the contest can win $5,000. There’s $2,000 for second place, and third place gets $1,500.

Not sure if these kids can come up with unique ways to share the info. After all, hasn’t it all been done already? Hasn’t it all been said already? Is there any more info to be disseminated that hasn’t already been?

Maybe there’s somewhere out there who has been in a coma for two years and will welcome the information.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Judi Franco only.

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