TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook: N.B. tries to increase vaccine rates among those under 40

FREDERICTON -

New Brunswickers under the age of 40 have the lowest COVID-19 vaccine turnout rate but public health is trying different strategies to improve that.

As of Tuesday, the age breakdown of those with their first COVID-19 dose was:

• Individuals between the ages 12 to 19: 65.8 per cent
• Individuals in their 20s: 65.4 per cent
• Individuals in their 30s: 68 per cent
• Individuals in their 40s: 75.5 per cent

The rates steadily rise from there, to 97.3 per cent of those in their 80s.

“To help encourage more in these particular age groups to get vaccinated, we are running programmatic audio advertisements on many platforms, including podcast channels and social media channels like TikTok/Snapchat and as well as targeted Facebook advertisements,” said a spokesperson for the province’s Department of Health.

There are also vaccine clinics scheduled at the University of New Brunswick Fredericton campus pharmacy. They run once a week until the end of August.

“They can get in and out really easily, so it’s accessible for them so that when we come back in the fall hopefully we’ll have as many students vaccinated as possible,” said Niko Coady, UNB Students’ Union vice president communications. “It kind of takes out that anxiety of setting up your appointment and having to travel to a clinic.”

Mobile clinics are planned for Perth-Andover, Dorchester, Plaster Rock and Salisbury on Thursday and Friday. New Brunswick public health says there’s a good ‘cross section’ of ages who have attended the clinics so far.

Last week, five mobile clinics vaccinated 1,556 people – but the province doesn’t track the specific age breakdown for those individual clinics.