Maria Maldonado: Why This Latina Mom Chose to Vaccinate Her 9-Year-Old Son


Maria Maldonado: Why This Latina Mom Chose to Vaccinate Her 9-Year-Old Son

Maria Maldonado knows what it’s like to experience the tragedy of COVID-19. She lost five family members to the virus in the past year, including her mother. “It was just a tidal wave. And it was just very hard for us to go through something so tragic, back to back. It was a very difficult time,” Maldonado said. When the vaccine became available for adults, Maldonado couldn’t wait to get one. “I was not hesitant at all. Why? Because I trust science. They developed it fast, but they still took the protocols and the safety measures that they had to take,” Maldonado said. Once the vaccine was available for children ages 5 to 11, Maldonado got her 9-year-old son Jacob vaccinated. She hopes that other Latino parents will vaccinate their children and help protect ...

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What Parents Should Know: Children Ages 5 to 11 Eligible for COVID-19 Vaccine


What Parents Should Know: Children Ages 5 to 11 Eligible for COVID-19 Vaccine

On Oct. 29, 2021, the FDA authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use for children ages 5 to 11. It had previously been approved for those ages 12 and older. The move will make the vaccine available to 28 million children in this age group. Getting children vaccinated is vital for controlling the spread of the pandemic, especially as many schools have returned to in-person learning. Do you have questions about the Pfizer vaccine and want to know more before your children get vaccinated? Here’s what Latino parents should know. Update 1/19/22: Greater than COVID shared new videos in English and Spanish featuring doctors answering questions about the COVID-19 vaccines for kids 5-11. Is the vaccine safe for children? Why was it produced so ...

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4 Compelling Communication Strategies to Build COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence


4 Compelling Communication Strategies to Build COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread, public health experts are focusing on addressing concerns with vaccine efficacy and safety for those who remain hesitant. That’s why the Societal Experts Action Network (SEAN) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has put together a toolkit of communication strategies for people who are unsure about the vaccine, parents who are thinking of vaccinating their children, and strategies for engaging with specific communities, such as Latinos. “In a rapidly evolving situation, where new evidence is continually emerging, state and local decision makers must be ready to frequently adjust and adapt their communication and messaging strategies to meet public needs,” write the authors of the toolkit, Emily Brunson, ...

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Pregnant Latinas Have Low COVID-19 Vaccination Rates


Doctor giving COVID -19 coronavirus vaccine injection to pregnant woman. Doctor Wearing Blue Gloves Vaccinating Young Pregnant Woman In Clinic. People vaccination concept.

Pregnant Latinas have some of the lowest vaccination rates against COVID-19 compared to other ethnic/racial groups, according to a report from the CDC. The disparity is likely due to less culturally competent and accessible healthcare in communities of color, as well as vaccine misinformation about fertility and pregnancy. The CDC encourages all people who are eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and that pregnancy should not be a barrier. “COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all people 12 years and older, including people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or might become pregnant in the future,” according to the CDC’s website. With more culturally relevant resources regarding vaccine safety for fertility and pregnancy, vaccine ...

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UPDATE: The COVID-19 Booster Shot and What Latinos Should Know


COVID-19 Booster Shot Latinos

As the American people still grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, medical experts are now in the process of distributing a booster shot, which many say can help. The booster shot is critical in making headway with bringing the pandemic to an end, according to Dr. Anthony Faucci, the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the Chief Medical Advisor to the President. "I’ve made it clear that my opinion has always been that I believe that a third-shot booster for a two-dose mRNA [vaccine] should ultimately and will ultimately be the proper, complete regimen," he said in a recent interview with The Atlantic. "The vaccine is very successful. The durability of it is something that’s a subject of considerable discussion and sometimes debate." As the ...

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Videos: Dr. Amelie Ramirez and Other Latino Experts on the COVID-19 Vaccine


Ramirez covid-19 vaccine confidence ad council video screen grab

Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio, is featured in a COVID-19 vaccine confidence-building communication campaign from the Ad Council and COVID Collaborative. The campaign, "It’s Up to You," aims to reach people of color. Latinos are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 amid vaccine misinformation. They are a special campaign target, with communication materials in English and Spanish, including four videos from Ramirez: Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe and does it have any side effects? ¿Qué efectos secundarios puedo esperar si recibo la vacuna COVID-19? Why is the COVID-19 vaccine important? ¿Por qué es importante para los latinos recibir la vacuna COVID-19? "[The campaign] encourages audiences to get the latest ...

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Bilingual Videos with Latino Doctors Help Answer Questions about COVID-19 Vaccines


Bilingual Videos with Latino Doctors Help Answer Questions about COVID-19 Vaccines

Latinos are getting vaccinated for the COVID-19 vaccine at much lower rates than other groups. This mainly due to a lack of vaccine confidence and abundance of misinformation that is targeting Latinos, who have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19. That’s why Greater than COVID partnered with UnidosUS to launch a new bilingual video series, THE CONVERSATION / LA CONVERSACIÓN, to combat vaccine misinformation. By interviewing Latino healthcare workers who answer big questions, the series aims to promote vaccine confidence and urge Latinos to get vaccinated. “This is our chance to protect ourselves, those we love and our communities so we can start to heal,” said Dr. Ana G. Cepin, a doctor in the video series. About the Video Series THE CONVERSATION / LA ...

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What Latinos Should Know About the Delta Variant


What Latinos Should Know About the Delta Variant

Across the country, COVID-19 cases are on the rise again, despite the vaccine being widely available. This due to the delta variant, a mutation of COVID-19 that is highly contagious. But what does the rise of the delta variant mean for Latinos, those who are vaccinated and those aren’t? Learn the important facts about the delta variant and how Latinos can stay safe. What is the Delta Variant? The delta variant is a highly contagious strain of COVID-19 that was first identified in India and has spread across the world. “The Delta variant is the fastest, fittest and most formidable version of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 the world has encountered, and it is upending assumptions about the disease even as nations loosen restrictions and open their economies, ...

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Chris David: Get the Vaccine So Business Can Go Back to Normal!



Chris David is ready for the pandemic to be over. It’s dramatically hurt his business and taken friends and family away from him. Even though he had heard heard folks say the shots will make your skin shed, damage your DNA, and are part of a secret conspiracy to get people to accept government control, he decided to get his vaccine so that he can keep his family, friends, and customers safe, and so that we can put an end to COVID once and for all. “To me, it's no big deal to get vaccinated. Help the rest of the planet out. Let's do it together,” Chris said. Find COVID-19 vaccine locations near you with Salud.to/findvaccine! How COVID-19 Hurt His Business Chris is a Navy combat veteran who is originally from Michigan. He’s lived outside of Austin in a rural area of ...

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