- The Washington Times - Wednesday, August 11, 2021

White House chief health adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci will partner with “millennial moms” and Generation Z influencers to encourage COVID-19 vaccinations, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday.

Dr. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, will do weekly conversations on TikTok with a range of social media influencers throughout August, starting Tuesday.

“Dr. Fauci will do weekly conversations with questions with notable influencers that aim to reach specific audiences we’re looking to boost vaccination rates with alongside many of the other specific efforts we are already doing,” Ms. Psaki said.

The Biden administration already has enlisted social media influencers to promote vaccinations among America’s youth.

Last month, pop star Olivia Rodrigo participated in a press briefing during an appearance at the White House to promote COVID-19 vaccines. She also met with Dr. Fauci and President Biden.

Ms. Rodrigo’s White House visit was posted on Instagram, and she worked with Dr. Fauci and the president to produce videos to be posted on social media accounts promoting vaccinations.

In May, Dr. Fauci and Mr. Biden hosted a YouTube town hall on vaccinations with a group of influencers who have a combined 28 million subscribers on the video channel.

The social media stars asked the two officials about the vaccines and later shared excerpts on their channels.

• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.

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