Sunshine Health and Pro Football Hall of Fame Launching COVID-19 Vaccination Awareness Effort Featuring Derrick Brooks

PSA campaign designed to build confidence around the vaccine and encourage vaccinations

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Apr 27, 2021, 07:00 ET

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., April 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Centene Corporation and the Pro Football Hall of Fame have launched a PSA campaign to educate people across the U.S. about the safety and importance of the COVID-19 vaccine, with a particular focus on communities of color. As part of the Centene family, Sunshine Health is engaging Floridians to encourage them to receive the COVID-19 vaccine to help prevent the spread of the virus. The campaign features a PSA from Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks.

"I have many close family members and loved ones who count on me for their well-being and their safety," Brooks, a former Tampa Bay Buccaneer and Florida State University Seminole, says in his PSA. "Letting them down is not an option. That's why I'm getting the COVID vaccine."

Brooks played 14 seasons in the NFL and was a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that won Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003.

To achieve "herd immunity," roughly 80% of the U.S. population needs to be vaccinated, health officials have said. Multiple surveys have indicated high rates of "vaccine hesitancy" within the African American community and other communities of color. Recent data show Black populations make up only 9% of those who have been vaccinated despite constituting 13% of the population and accounting for 15% of all COVID-19 deaths.

In addition to the PSAs, which will run on TV and digital platforms, Sunshine Health Interim Chief Medical Officer Alan R. Smith, M.D., is sharing general information about the vaccine, its safety and efficacy, and other details.

"Derrick Brooks was a great team player in the NFL, and now he's a great team player for everyone in Florida," Smith said. "I am glad they have joined us to share this important public health message."

"Every community in Florida deserves to be protected from this virus," said Liz Miller, CEO of Sunshine Health. "We're committed to improving the health of all Floridians, and we appreciate Derrick and the Pro Football Hall of Fame for joining us in this effort."

The PSA campaign launched nationally with PSAs from other Hall of Famers including ANTHONY MUÑOZ, DARRELL GREEN, AENEAS WILLIAMS, and DREW PEARSON; LISA SALTERS, a Hall of Fame Selector and TV broadcaster; and, friends of the Hall DAWN STALEY, a three-time Olympic gold medal winner and coach of the 2017 national champion University of South Carolina women's basketball team, and IMAN MCFARLAND, Chief Operating Officer for 21st Century Expo Group and an ambassador for the Hall's and Centene's joint "Strong Youth Strong Communities" programming.

Each nationally released 30-second message can be previewed and downloaded here: Anthony Muñoz (English), Anthony Muñoz , Darrell Green, Derrick Brooks, Aeneas Williams, Drew Pearson, Lisa Salters, Dawn Staley, Iman McFarland. The campaign's 15- and 60-second versions can be found here.

"As we've seen throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we're a team, and we need to work together to stop the virus from spreading," said David Baker, President and CEO of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. "We recognize there are a lot of questions out there about the vaccine, so we want to make sure we're reaching as many people as possible. We thank Derrick for encouraging everyone to get vaccinated for the sake of their loved ones."

The Pro Football Hall of Fame is Centene's Official Youth Wellness Partner. Through the "Strong Youth Strong Communities" program, Hall of Famers have discussed important issues with youth, including mental health, suicide, and bullying. During the pandemic, "virtual" Youth Summits have been held in a number of states on these topics. For its work on these issues, the Hall of Fame was the recipient of the 2019 Booker T. Washington award from the National Minority Quality Forum for its commitment to advancing health equity.

Below are also some of the insights and information being shared by Sunshine Health's Dr. Alan Smith to educate communities and address any uncertainty about the COVID-19 vaccine:

The COVID-19 vaccine provides the best chance for individuals to protect themselves and their families from getting COVID-19 in the future. They are highly effective, especially at preventing severe illness and hospitalization related to COVID-19.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) carefully reviews all safety data from clinical trials and authorizes emergency vaccine use only when the expected benefits outweigh the potential risks.
Some individuals may run a fever after getting the vaccine. This is normal, as their body builds immunity and fights off future COVID-19 exposures.

For more information about Sunshine Health and its healthcare support services, visit www.SunshineHealth.com.

About Sunshine Health
Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale and with offices across the state, Sunshine Health is among the largest healthcare plans in Florida. Offering coordinated care and a network of support for our members, Sunshine Health is transforming the health of the community, one person at a time. Sunshine Health is a wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, a diversified, multi-national healthcare enterprise. We offer government-sponsored managed care through Medicaid, Long Term Care, the Health Insurance Marketplace (Ambetter) and Medicare (Allwell). Sunshine Health is now affiliated with WellCare Health Plan's Florida health plans, including Staywell Health Plan and WellCare of Florida Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plans. Our specialty plans include the Child Welfare Specialty Plan serving children in or adopted from the state's Child Welfare system; and the Staywell Specialty Health Plan for people living with serious mental illness. Additionally, WellCare operates Children's Medical Services Health Plan on behalf of the Florida Department of Health, serving children and adolescents with special healthcare needs.

For more information, visit SunshineHealth.com or follow us on Facebook and Twitter @SunHealthFL.

About Centene Corporation
Centene Corporation, a Fortune 50 company, is a leading multi-national healthcare enterprise that is committed to helping people live healthier lives. The Company takes a local approach – with local brands and local teams – to provide fully integrated, high quality, and cost-effective services to government-sponsored and commercial healthcare programs, focusing on under-insured and uninsured individuals. Centene offers affordable and high-quality products to nearly 1 in 15 individuals across the nation, including Medicaid and Medicare members (including Medicare Prescription Drug Plans) as well as individuals and families served by the Health Insurance Marketplace, the TRICARE program, and individuals in correctional facilities. The Company also serves several international markets, and contracts with other healthcare and commercial organizations to provide a variety of specialty services focused on treating the whole person. Centene focuses on long-term growth and the development of its people, systems and capabilities so that it can better serve its members, providers, local communities, and government partners.

Centene uses its investor relations website to publish important information about the company, including information that may be deemed material to investors. Financial and other information about Centene is routinely posted and is accessible on Centene's investor relations website at: https://investors.centene.com/

About the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Located in Canton, Ohio, the birthplace of the National Football League, the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit institution with the Mission to Honor the Heroes of the Game, Preserve its History, Promote its Values, & Celebrate Excellence EVERYWHERE.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. AAM accreditation is national recognition for the museum's commitment to excellence and the highest professional standards of museum operation and public service.

Hundreds of thousands of fans from across the globe travel to Canton annually to experience "The Most Inspiring Place on Earth!" that chronicles America's most popular sport. Fans can also enjoy the Hall of Fame Store at the Hall, and online at www.profootballhof.com/store, for merchandise from all 32 NFL clubs plus the Hall of Fame. Proceeds from the Store support the Hall's Mission.

Construction on Hall of Fame Village Powered by Johnson Controls, a mixed-use development project, is under way in Canton to transform the Hall of Fame's campus.

SOURCE Sunshine Health