(Black PR Wire) On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic.

1 Since then there have been more than 20 million cases and more than 350,000 deaths from COVID-19 in the U.S., and all Americans have been forced to quickly adapt.

2 For many months, biopharmaceutical companies have been working at the speed of science to deliver a vaccine with the potential to help end this pandemic. In the U.S. vaccines against COVID-19 have been authorized for emergency use by the FDA.

3 Vaccination is considered one of the most successful public health advancements for improving health — allowing people to grow, thrive, and contribute to their communities. Vaccines are estimated to prevent millions of deaths annually across the globe, which can translate to reduced health care costs and improved economic stability.

4 According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), stopping a pandemic requires using all the tools we have available, including vaccines.

5 The vaccines that have received emergency use authorization to help prevent COVID-19 have been tested in tens of thousands of clinical trial participants and undergone strict regulatory review.

6,7 We, the undersigned healthcare professional organizations, have joined with Pfizer and BioNTech to help increase overall public awareness of the importance of COVID-19 vaccination:

• The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) is the national medical society representing emergency medicine. Through continuing education, research, public education and advocacy, ACEP advances emergency care on behalf of its 40,000 emergency physician members, and the more than 150 million Americans they treat on an annual basis.

• American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) is a professional medical society of more than 2,000 physicians dedicated to improving the health and quality of life of individuals, families, communities and populations through disease prevention and health promotion.

• American Nurses Association (ANA) represents the interests of the nation's 4.2 million registered nurses, and is at the forefront of improving the quality of health care for all. Founded in 1896, and with members in all 50 states and U.S. territories, ANA advocates on health care issues that affect nurses and the public.

• Founded in 1971, the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) is a professional organization representing 308,000 African American registered nurses, 11,000 licensed vocational/practical nurses, and nursing students in 108 chapters and 34 states. The NBNA mission is “to serve as the voice for Black nurses and diverse populations ensuring equal access to professional development, promoting educational opportunities and improving health.” NBNA chapters offer voluntary hours providing health education and screenings to community residents in collaboration with community-based partners, including faith-based organizations, civic, fraternal, hospitals, and schools of nursing.

• The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) is the largest association in the U.S. representing all of pharmacy working to improve medication use, advance patient care and improve public health provided by pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, student pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.

We are urging Americans to access trusted, third-party resources about vaccination by going to SciencePossible.com. To join us in our national effort, please include the enclosed public service announcements in your programming and consider giving a full run of schedule through the expiration date January 4, 2022. Thank you for your consideration, American College of Emergency Physicians American College of Preventive Medicine American Nurses Association National Black Nurses Association American Pharmacists Association Pfizer and BioNTech