The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stopped its successful “Wild to Mild” flu vaccination campaign, which aimed to encourage people to get the flu vaccine by juxtaposing images of wild animals with cute counterparts. The campaign, which was renewed for the current flu season, was stopped just as it began its end-of-season phase.
The move comes during Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s first full week as head of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The CDC had launched the campaign in 2023 to communicate that flu vaccination can lessen symptoms and the chance of getting severely ill, even if it doesn’t prevent someone from catching the flu.
The campaign was a response to falling flu vaccination rates since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and targeted groups at higher risk, including pregnant women and children. Despite its digital-only nature, the campaign also found success in public transit, with branding wrapped around trains in four major cities and ads featured at mass transit stations.
The “Wild to Mild” campaign was found to be successful, with people understanding the message and being swayed by it. However, the exact timing of its halt is unclear, but it would have at least continued through the end of this flu season.
As the flu season continues to rage, with over 50,000 patients admitted to hospitals for influenza during the week ending February 8, the campaign’s stopping sends a concerning message about the nation’s preparedness against the flu. Requests for comment from the CDC and HHS were not immediately returned.
Source: https://laist.com/brief/news/health/trump-administration-yanks-cdc-flu-vaccine-campaign