President Joe Biden’s plan to get young Americans vaccinated involves Dr. Anthony Fauci making a media blitz on TikTok and Microsoft giving away free Xboxes, White House press secretary Jen Psaki announced Tuesday.
Psaki made the announcement in response to questions from reporters at a White House press briefing on Tuesday. She touted Fauci’s interviews with TikTok and Instagram influencers as a way to reach young people, in addition to working with the private sector.
“What is the game plan for getting young people vaccinated in greater numbers?” a reporter asked. (RELATED: Biden Unlikely To Achieve July 4 Vaccine Goal As Jab Rates Plummet)
“Let me give you a couple of examples of what we’re working on. It’s not just Dr. Fauci on TikTok, though that is happening,” Psaki replied. “CDC’s COVID vaccine chat on WhatsApp is now live to help Spanish speaking young adults get vaccinated.”
“We’re working with the private sector as well as you all know. Microsoft is giving away Xboxes at boys and girls clubs; the College Challenge is rallying university students across the country; Walgreens is giving out $25 to anyone who gets vaccinated there before July 4,” she continued. “These are just a couple of examples of some of the approaches we’re taking. We’ll build on that from there.”
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The Biden administration is seeking to bolster vaccination rates that have plummeted in recent weeks. Psaki acknowledged that the U.S. is unlikely to meet Biden’s vaccination goal by July 4 as originally hoped as the date gets pushed back a few weeks.
Fauci and the CDC have said at least 70 percent of Americans must be vaccinated before return to true normalcy can begin.
“I need you to get vaccinated when it’s your turn, and when you can find an opportunity,” Biden said in March. “And to help your family, your friends, your neighbors get vaccinated as well.”
“Because here’s the point – if we do all of this, if we do our part, if we do this together, by July the 4th, there’s a good chance you, your families and friends, will be able to get together in your backyard or in your neighborhood and have a cookout and a barbecue and celebrate Independence Day.”