As COVID-19 cases climb, it might seem like the end of the world as we know it. It’s not, and members of R.E.M. are doing their part to turn it around.
Michael Stipe and Mike Mills have contributed to public health campaigns in their native Athens, Georgia, urging locals to roll up a sleeve.
In one of his two recorded spots, Stipe explains “there is something we can do to keep our friends and loved ones healthy. The coronavirus vaccine is safe, it’s easy to get and it protects against serious illness and death.”
Both are practicing what they preach by getting vaccinated. “And now that I’ve done what I can to protect myself and those around me, well, I feel fine,” says Stipe, lifting from the lyrics of the indie rock legends’ 1987 song.
In another, Stipe calls on Athens, a center for arts and culture, to “lead the way once again” by getting vaccinated.
Adds Mills, “now it’s time to give back to the town we love. I got my shots and I urge you to do the same.”
Infections are on the rise in the Peach State.
The Georgia Department of Public Health reported 110 new COVID cases for Athens-Clarke County on Thursday (Sept. 1), 45 for Jackson County and 15 for Oconee County, while the University of Georgia reported 457 positive COVID-19 tests from Aug. 23-29.
Stipe and Mills’ public service announcements can be streamed below from the University of Georgia’s official website.
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