The FOPH wants to motivate young people to vaccinate via social media

With three short fail videos, the FOPH wants to show young people aged 12 to 29 that they should dare to get the Covid vaccination, according to a media information of the Federal Office of Public Health FOPH on Tuesday. The self-ironic clips with young protagonists, in which some things go wrong, should take away young people's "diffuse" fears of the vaccination.

The vaccination coverage rate among boys still has potential, according to the FOPH. Of 12- to 19-year-old adolescents, 27 percent have received both vaccine doses so far, Virginie Masserey, head of the infection control section, said at the virtual event. 40.6 percent have been given one dose so far, she said. Among young people ages 20 to 29, 46 percent have been fully vaccinated so far, Masserey said. Fifty-six percent of them have received a dose, she said.

Easier everyday life

Vaccination brings not only health benefits, but also social benefits - everyday life becomes easier again, whether going out or traveling. The psychological consequences of the pandemic should also be reduced. This applies, for example, to the elimination of quarantine.

These advantages are also often the motivations of the boys to get vaccinated, he said. Especially since a certificate has been required since Monday for youngsters 16 and older to visit many indoor venues. "Vaccination allows boys to get back to normal," Masserey said.

According to the FOPH, the cost of the campaign is 230,000 Swiss francs, 70 percent of which is earmarked for the cost of dissemination in social media. The campaign will additionally run on conventional channels in public from October 5, it added.

Since the end of August, the FOPH has been recommending vaccination to all adolescents over the age of 12. It is rare for boys to develop severe courses, but they should also be protected from the effects of the virus. But they should also be protected from the effects of the virus, for example from Long Covid. Vaccinated individuals are also less likely to pass on the virus, and the emergence of other virus variants is reduced, Masserey said. Further campaigns are planned, he said. (SDA)