Sunflower and Pro Football Hall of Fame Team Up to Tackle Concerns Over COVID-19 Vaccinations

Date: 05/06/21

Sunflower Health Plan and the Pro Football Hall of Fame recently launched a PSA campaign to educate people across the Kansas about the safety and importance of the COVID-19 vaccine, with a particular focus on communities of color. Sunflower joins health plans in states across the country in this ongoing national effort since March to reach audiences through social media with 30-second messages from Hall of Famers, broadcasters and athletes.

Sunflower is engaging Kansans to encourage them to receive the COVID-19 vaccine when available and help prevent the spread of the virus. The campaign uses public service announcements (PSAs) from the Pro Football Hall of Fame family distributed through the Sunflower social-media channels.

To achieve “herd immunity,” roughly 80% of the U.S. population needs to be vaccinated, health officials have said. While the numbers have improved, multiple surveys have indicated higher rates of “vaccine hesitancy” within the African American community and other communities of color, and that, along with access issues, could impact immunization rates. Recent data show Black populations make up only 9% of those who had been vaccinated despite constituting 13% of the population and accounting for 15% of all COVID-19 deaths.

In addition to the PSAs, which are also running on national TV and digital platforms, Sunflower’s Chief Medical Director Dr. Scott Latimer is sharing general information about the vaccine, its safety and efficacy, and other details.

"The Sunflower Health Plan team is focused on making sure that our members have high-quality preventive care, including COVID-19 vaccination," Latimer said. "We are answering questions that people may have about the vaccines and working hard to make sure that any members with special needs have proper support to gain access to vaccination."

Each 30-second message was previously available on Sunflower’s Facebook page and Twitter page. The following Hall of Famers lent their time and talent to creating the PSAs: Anthony Muñoz (English & Spanish), Darrell Green, Aeneas Williams and Drew Pearson. They are joined by 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.

The PSA campaign is designed to build confidence around the vaccine and encourage people to get vaccinated. The messaging not only focuses on the vaccine as a means of protecting oneself, but also to stop the spread of the virus to family and friends, those who "Count on You." In the PSAs, Muñoz, Green, Williams, Pearson, Salters, Staley and McFarland talk about the people in their lives who are counting on them to get the vaccine to stay healthy.

"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 & 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 Anthony, Darrell, Aeneas, Drew, Lisa, Dawn and Iman for encouraging everyone to get vaccinated for the sake of the people counting on them."

The Pro Football Hall of Fame is Sunflower’s parent company Centene Corporation's Official Youth Wellness Partner. Through the "Strong Youth Strong Communities" program over the past four years, Hall of Famers have discussed such important issues with youth as mental health, suicide and bullying. During the COVID-19 pandemic, "virtual" Youth Summits have been held in several states on these topics. For its work on these issues, the Pro Football 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.

For more information about COVID-19 and available vaccines, visit the CDC website.

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About Sunflower Health Plan – Sunflower Health Plan, a subsidiary of Centene Corporation, is a managed care organization established to deliver quality healthcare in the state of Kansas through local, regional and community-based resources. Sunflower is committed to improving the health of its beneficiaries through focused, compassionate and coordinated care in an approach based on the core belief that quality healthcare is best delivered locally. For more information, please visit www.sunflowerhealthplan.com.

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, http://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.