Variant rises; vaccine plan targets'movable Middle'

This strategy has all the trappings and characteristics of a political campaign. It includes data crunching to identify those groups that can be won.

The message is not about ideology, but public health. The "movable middle", which is roughly 55 million unvaccinated adults, is the focus of this message. Many of these people are under 30.

"We are not going to just do the mass vaccination sites," stated Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. It's door-to-door. It's mobile clinics. We are doing vaccinations at the church, the PTA meeting and the barber shop.

Officials have taken advantage of a new topic, the coronavirus. This is where the delta virus, which has decimated India, is now spreading. The more transmissible variant has gained acceptance in Mountain West and the heartland states, accounting for approximately 1 in 5 viruses genetically decoded in America. Many infected people are young and unvaccinated.

The White House has provided top-ranking names for the vaccine push.

President Joe Biden visited the mobile vaccination site in Raleigh (North Carolina) on Thursday. Jill Biden, the first lady, held the hand of a woman in Kissimmee at a drive-thru vaccine site.

Doug Emhoff, husband of Vice President Kamala Harris has amassed thousands of frequent flyer points, having visited at least 18 to 19 states.

It has also recruited athletes and celebrities, including Brad Paisley from country music and the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey club. It has teamed with Twitch, Riot Games and Panera to reach online gamers. Panera and Chipotle will also offer free food for those who get a shot.

According to Surgeon General Vivek Muthy, the message is clear: "If your vaccines are up-to-date, you are protected." Variants are a real threat and it is growing if you're not vaccinated.

It is unclear how effective the levers for persuasion work. The vaccination rates have fallen below 1 million per day and there is no indication of a turnaround. The administration acknowledged that it will not reach its goal of 70% vaccinations by July Fourth.