Communications materials aim to help keep more people out of the hospital or from dying from COVID.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Media Relations
APHA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service’s COVID-19 Public Education Campaign, We Can Do This, have partnered to educate patients about their risk for severe COVID and the availability of treatments.
“As COVID gets less media attention and much of the country tries to move beyond the pandemic, it is important for all types of health care providers to continue to raise awareness of the risks of severe COVID and treatment options,” said APHA Executive Director Georges C. Benjamin, MD. “We are pleased to be working with the We Can Do This campaign on this important effort to improve communication and the public’s health.”
The We Can Do This campaign has also created easy-to-understand patient education materials, in both English and Spanish, that explain who is at increased risk for severe illness from COVID, the availability of COVID treatments and the importance of early treatment. The materials, which include information from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and culturally tailored content from the We Can Do This campaign’s team of multicultural experts, are online and being shared with APHA members and other contacts.
While most people with COVID have mild symptoms, some can get severely ill, require hospitalization and even die. Educating patients on their risk factors, treatment options and the timing of when they need to start treatment can help keep them out of the hospital.
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We Can Do This is a national initiative to increase public confidence in and uptake of being up to date on COVID vaccines while reinforcing basic prevention measures. Through a nationwide network of trusted messengers and consistent, fact-based public health messaging, the campaign helps the public make informed decisions about their health and COVID, including steps to protect themselves and their communities. The effort is driven by communication science and provides tailored information for at-risk groups. Learn more at https://wecandothis.hhs.gov.
The American Public Health Association champions the health of all people and all communities. We are the only organization that combines a 150-year perspective, a broad-based member community and the ability to influence federal policy to improve the public’s health. Learn more at www.apha.org.