A partnership involving Arkansas Blue Cross & Blue Shield has launched VaccinateArkansas.com, a site for employers to get information and resources about COVID-19 vaccines in Arkansas.
The website is part of the statewide "Vaccinate the Natural State" initiative announced last month, which aims to educate Arkansans about the benefits of getting a COVID-19 vaccine and encourage them to get it soon.
The partnership includes Blue Cross & Blue Shield, the Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care, the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/Associated Industries of Arkansas, the Northwest Arkansas Council and Walmart Inc. of Bentonville.
The aim of VaccinateArkansas.com is to empower business leaders to encourage employees to be vaccinated, officials said. Vaccine success is the key to protecting the workforce from the virus and speeding the economic recovery in Arkansas, supporters said.
To support state businesses and communities, the site “provides objective information and educational resources such as video modules, communication toolkits, and outreach to help guide businesses in communications as more COVID-19 vaccines are made available,” the news release said.
The initiative was designed to arm employers with the knowledge to guide their employees through the vaccination process, officials said.
"Arkansas' business leaders play a vital role providing COVID-19 vaccine information to their employees," Arkansas Blue Cross CEO and President Curtis Barnett said. "Through these resources, we want to empower employers to provide accurate and helpful information while encouraging their workforces to get the vaccine.
"Business-to-business engagement is a primary focus for the Vaccinate the Natural State initiative, and our statewide communities will benefit when Arkansas businesses choose to take action in the fight against COVID-19."
“The Northwest Arkansas Council is proud to serve as a partner on this initiative to ensure as many Arkansans as possible get vaccinated for COVID-19,” said Nelson Peacock, president and CEO of the Northwest Arkansas Council. “The Vaccinate Arkansas website serves as a valuable resource for businesses to ensure their employees have the most up-to-date information on the vaccine safety and availability.”
The site also hosts the Power Over Pandemic Pledge, where business leaders can commit to their organizations joining the Vaccinate the Natural State movement. The pledge reads:
"As an Arkansas employer and business leader, our company is committed to helping fight COVID-19 and will do our part to end the pandemic. We pledge to:
"Lead by example by receiving the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as we are able, and encourage all employees to do the same
"Strongly encourage all medically eligible employees and others in our organization to receive a COVID-19 vaccine
"Provide the resources our employees need to make an informed decision in favor of being vaccinated, and
"Make receiving a vaccine as easy as possible for those in our organization."