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Orange County Coronavirus

Will You Take the Covid Vaccine? Orange County is Hiring a PR Firm to Reassure Public

JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC

A worker prepares to vaccinate someone with the coronavirus vaccine at Orange County Fire Authority headquarters in Irvine on Friday, Jan. 8, 2021.

By Nick Gerda Nick Gerda | January 12, 2021
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Will you take the coronavirus vaccine or not?

It’s a decision millions of Orange County residents are expected to face in the coming months after vaccines become more widely available.

In an effort to boost public trust, officials at the County of Orange have been quietly moving to hire a public relations firm to help run an ad campaign promoting vaccines as safe and effective.

Those plans have been largely out of public view so far. County supervisors and top county executives interviewed PR firms last week and chose one, a supervisor said in an interview, though it’s unclear if the contract will be brought for a public discussion and vote by supervisors.

Most of the top county officials involved in the decision-making, including Supervisor Andrew Do, CEO Frank Kim, and Health Care Agency Director Dr. Clayton Chau, didn’t respond to questions about it Monday.

But Supervisor Doug Chaffee, who helped recommend the proposed vendor, did open up about it. He said a firm has been chosen for the work: Idea Hall, which runs PR for the county’s upcoming mental health campus, Be Well OC.

“We have hired Idea Hall to give us some PR help” with public outreach on the vaccine, after interviewing multiple firms last week, Chaffee told Voice of OC on Monday.

The goal is to let the public know the vaccine is “safe and works well,” and to reach communities that are more hesitant to take it, Chaffee said. “Everything I know [about the vaccines], it’s safe and highly effective.”

“We have time in all this because getting [the quantity of] vaccine we need is some time off in the future,” he added. “We’re not having problems of people rejecting it at this point, [because] there’s not enough vaccines to go around.”

The proposed contract should “absolutely” be on the supervisors’ public agenda for constituents to see it and weigh in on it, says a representative of one the largest taxpayer advocacy groups in California.

“There should be transparency. And once again, this is not something they didn’t know was going to happen,” said Susan Shelley, vice president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, which is suing the state over a $35 million public outreach contract issued during the pandemic.

“I don’t know that they adequately explained why the people on staff were not able to do this,” added Shelley, pointing to the county’s existing staff for public outreach.

“They should have been going through requests for proposals and going through as much of the transparency process as possible.”

Chaffee said he wasn’t sure if the contract would be on the supervisors’ public agenda, or approved by staff under emergency authorities, but that it’s his preference for it to be on the public agenda.

“We did interview other firms and they did presentations last week. And we selected one. I think the contract hasn’t been finished yet, but it will be soon,” Chaffee said.

“So I can’t tell you the details of whether we consider it within staff authority or if it has to come to the board.”

Carolyn Cavecche, who leads one of Orange County’s largest taxpayer advocacy groups, is urging county officials to be transparent about how they’re paying for the outreach and answer why existing staff can’t handle it.

“If the County of Orange is going to go forward with this, they need to be very clear to the taxpayers of Orange County where the money is coming from,” said Cavecche, president and CEO of the OC Taxpayers Association, in a statement Monday to Voice of OC.

“My understanding is there is no money left from the CARES [Act] from the feds. And yes it could be backfilled in the future, but more importantly: What programs and projects are they going to be taking money from to cover this contract?” she asked.

“And why can’t the county itself, and the Board of Supervisors – why can’t their outreach staff handle it?”

The contract’s expected cost was not disclosed. Voice of OC reached out to Idea Hall for comment on Monday but didn’t hear back.

Meanwhile, the county is planning to ramp up vaccination efforts and add new locations amid a slower than expected start, and pressure from state health officials.

In the coming days, county officials plan to announce larger-scale vaccination centers, including at Disneyland.

“We have trained our EMTs and paramedics because nursing staff and hospitals can’t get out to do the job” amid the ongoing surge in hospital patients, Chaffee said. The county will be opening a vaccine center – known as a “POD” for “point of dispensing” – at Disneyland later this week, he said.

Nick Gerda covers county government for Voice of OC. You can contact him at [email protected].

How can I sign up for a vaccine?

For full details on the COVID-19 vaccine in Orange County view our Voice of OC vaccine page that is constantly updated and has links of where to register for an appointment: http://bit.ly/occovidvaccine.

What is COVID-19? Do I have it?

INFORMATION View the CDC website. View OC's website. View the latest OC case counts.

TRANSLATIONS See the county's guides in non-English languages. Learn key Coronavirus facts in Vietnamese and Spanish via VietRise. See VietRISE guides in Spanish and Vietnamese.

PROTECTION To limit exposure, the CDC recommends: wash your hands often, avoid close contact with others, cover your mouth and nose with a cloth mask when around others, cover coughs and sneezes, clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.

SYMPTOMS The CDC identifies these key symptoms that can occur any time between 2 and 14 days after exposure: Fever or chills, cough and shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches,  headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting or diarrhea. If you suspect Coronavirus, CALL your primary medical provider.

EMERGENCY SYMPTOMS If you display any of the following emergency warning signs, seek immediate medical attention: difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion or inability to arouse, or bluish lips or face.

RISK The CDC identifies people most at risk for serious illness: Older adults, and people who have serious chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and lung disease.

What is open?

RESIDENTS The County of Orange offers a list of notices and news on what guidance is given for families and persons.

SCHOOLS The latest information for the county is available from the Orange County Board of Education.

STATE GUIDE TO WHAT IS OPEN A full list of statewide guidelines for what is open and what is closed.

SOCIAL DISTANCING Staying away from other people is called "social distancing." The aim is to SLOW the spread of Coronavirus so as to not overwhelm the nation's health care systems and so that people in need can get help. The Washington Post explains: "The spread (of COVID-19) can be slowed, public health professionals say, if people practice "social distancing" by avoiding public spaces and generally limiting their movement."

What support is available?

STRESS & ANXIETY Stress and anxiety can be triggered by the situation and resources are available to help from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America and from the American Psychology Association. Concern over this new virus can make children and families anxious, here are tips on talking with children about COVID-19.

MENTAL HEALTH The County of Orange offers a list of available mental health support services.

FIRST RESPONDERS The County of Orange offers these support services for first responders and health care workers.

BUSINESSES & ORGANIZATIONS The County of Orange offers a list of up-to-date guidelines for business and faith-based/community organizations.

FOOD ASSISTANCE Voice of OC offers a weekly list of available food pantries in Orange County. You can also apply for food benefits over the phone through the CalFresh program at 800-281-9799 or online.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION Buses and trains still offer service, but routes have been reduced so make sure to check your route ahead of time.

HOMELESSNESS The County of Orange offers a list of available shelter beds and other resources.

GENERAL FINANCIAL HELP Here are some services:

  •   • Find information on unemployment and disability benefits.
  •   • The Orange County Social Services Agency, despite closing its lobby, is processing online filings for assistance programs. This includes emergency cash assistance for immediate needs like rent or medical bills. The phone line has averaged a 30 minute wait time and offers a callback service, but people are encouraged to apply for benefits online.
  •   • Residents can apply for any of these programs by calling 800-281-9799.

RESTAURANT OWNERS & EMPLOYEES You can find a detailed list of resources available to restaurant owners and employees

How can I help?

VOLUNTEERING A statewide guide offers examples of ways to volunteer safely during Coronavirus. Options include, but are not limited to: donating plasma, making cloth face masks and supporting local food banks. Orange County's Second Harvest Food Bank lists support options online.

DONATIONS An Orange County Community Resilience Fund has been started through the OC Community Foundation to raise money for local nonprofits and volunteer organizations.

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CORONAVIRUS: The latest Orange County news and information.

SUBTOPICS:
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  • Clayton Chau
  • Doug Chaffee
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  • Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
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