White House social media vaccine campaign to include Dr Fauci on Snapchat

Vice President Kamala Harris also targeting certain communities with Covid information

Dr Anthony Fauci is appearing on Snapchat as part of a social media campaign promoting Covid vaccines to young adults and certain parts of the US population.

The campaign is coinciding with the opening-up of Covid vaccinations to all adults from 19 April, as called for by US president Joe Biden, in addition to addressing any vaccine concerns, according to Axios.

Dr Fauci, the chief medical adviser to the president, is to be the face of the White House campaign for Snapchat, targeting young adults on the social messaging app with vaccine information from Monday.

In addition to the appearances from White House officials, push notifications are also being sent-out on Facebook and Twitter with Covid vaccine information, according to Axios.

It will also work to reduce any remaining vaccine fears following the temporary suspension of deliveries of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine by US officials last week, after reports of rare blood clots.

Dr Fauci said on Sunday that he believed the Johnson & Johnson vaccine would resume “in some form” when officials rule on its future, which he expected as soon as Friday.

Kamala Harris, the US vice president, is also reportedly taking part in publicity targeting the Black community, as is Mr Biden, who will issue a public service announcement on a number of social media platforms – again with information on the Covid vaccine.

Vivek Murthy, the US surgeon general, and Xavier Becerra, the health and human services (HHS) secretary, are also taking part in the campaign.

It comes as the number of US adults who have received one dose of a vaccine reached half of the adult population on Sunday.