BATON ROUGE, La. — BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards’ administration has spent $27 million and counting on incentive programs, community door-knocking and advertising to try to persuade people to get the coronavirus vaccine.
The Louisiana Department of Health outlined the outreach spending through mid-November in response to a request from The Associated Press.
Costs continue to grow and are entirely federally financed.
The state has sought to chip away at immunization hesitancy with TV, radio and digital advertising, direct mail, billboards and a hotline to answer vaccine-related questions.
Local organizations have been hired to make phone calls and walk neighborhoods promoting the vaccine.
The state also has tried to entice people with cash awards.