The month of April is National Minority Health Month. As more vaccines become more available, the HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH) and their partners are focusing on the impact COVID-19 is having on the ethnic and minority communities and the need for these communities to get vaccinated. During this month, they plan on doing this by launching a new campaign called #Vaccine Ready.
The #Vaccine Ready campaign will help communities practice safe COVID-19 measures, get accurate facts about the vaccines, participate in clinical trials, and get vaccinated when the time comes. However, one of the most important things OMH plan to do with this campaign is to increase confidence in the vaccines, especially among minorities.
Learn more about the Vaccines
One of the purposes of this campaign is to help people learn more about vaccines. It’s vital to understand how they work. Some of these key facts include:
- They help our bodies develop immunity to the virus that causes COVID-19.
- You may have side effects, but these are normal.
- Some vaccines may require more than one shot.
- People who have been fully vaccinated can start to do some things that they had stopped doing since the pandemic.
If you have any further inquiries about the different vaccines and how they work, you can check out the CDC website.
Check with your Doctor about Side Effects
One of those key facts that I’ve mentioned was the potential side effects associated with some of the vaccines. CDC states that these are considered normal signs that your body is building protection. They may affect your ability to do day-to-day things, but they should go away in a few days. Some of these include:
- Pain and redness from the area where you received the shot.
- Tiredness
- Headache
- Chills
- Fever
- Nausea
If you experience severe cases of these side effects, please contact your doctor immediately.
Find a Vaccination Location Near you
During this month, more locations have been opening up to get the Moderna, Pfizer, or Johnson & Johnson vaccine. In recent weeks, eligibility has been opening up for the younger demographic to get vaccinated. VaccineFinder is one good place where you can find clinics, pharmacies, and other locations that offer the vaccines. On this website, you will be able to find locations near you that offer the specific vaccine that you want. If you are currently eligible to get vaccinated, click the Find Vaccine button to find a location and schedule an appointment.
If you like to get involved in the #VaccineReady campaign, you can sign up for email updates about OMH and National Minority Health Month. You could also follow OMH on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. If you have any further questions about this campaign, you can leave them in the comments below.
Getting vaccinated is indeed a conscious matter that is up to the person. But the more we all get vaccinated, the more we become one step closer to potentially slowing down this virus spread.
