On Feb. 19, over 100 people joined a free health equity webinar to learn about the COVID-19 vaccine to encourage vaccinati​on in communities of color, which historically have shown a mistrust in the healthcare system. 

Moderator Monica Brooks, manager of Diversity and Inclusion for PPL Electric Utilities, guided the panel of experts through an insightful and informative session, which included a question-and-answer session with the audience. The panelists provided easy-to-understand scientific facts and evidence to support the COVID-19 vaccine as well as their own firsthand experiences getting vaccinated. The panelists were Barney S. Graham, MD, PhD, Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Tecile Andolino, MD, St. Luke’s University Health Network, Leonardo Claros, MD, St. Luke’s University Health Network and Senior Pastor Benjamin T. Hailey, Sr., Union Baptist Church of Allentown. 

As one of the designers of the Moderna vaccine, Dr. Graham reassured the audience of the thoroughness of the development process as well as how his own daughter took part in the trials. Dr. Graham offered arguments for getting vaccinated during the presentation as well. He explained the importance of obtaining herd immunity to protect our communities because we still do not know the long-term impacts of COVID-19 on those who have been infected. He outlined that the risks of getting COVID-19 for those with preexisting conditions is far worse than getting the vaccine, with protection starting after the first dose. Symptoms after vaccination, such as fatigue and fever, actually mean that the vaccine is working. 

Dr. Andolino and Dr. Claros spoke of the challenges encouraging communities of color to be vaccinated and how increased education and outreach, such as the webinar itself, were making a difference. Dr. Claros also shared that earlier in the day, St. Luke’s had achieved the milestone of 100,000 COVID-19 vaccinations distributed through their health network thus far.

Pastor Hailey expressed his enthusiasm for the community outreach, and his hope that the audience would share their learnings from the questions answered during the webinar to reassure and motivate others to be vaccinated. 

Judging by the audience’s submissions to the panelists, which switched during the webinar from questions to heartfelt thanks, the event was a success. 

To view the recording of this webinar, you can find it on the Faces International YouTube account or use the link here on your personal device: https://youtu.be/PIHB-6QuKew. The webinar is over 90 minutes.

PPL Electric Utilities, St. Luke’s Health Network, Union Baptist Church of Allentown and FACES International Marketing and Development Agency were co-sponsors of the event.