COVID-19 Vaccine Outreach Program

Miss Julia

     Broward Regional Health Planning Council’s (BRHPC) Community Based Workforce for COVID-19 Vaccine Outreach Program is a collaborative program that engages three community partners; mobilizes community health workers and medical professionals to educate; assists individuals in getting the vaccine; addresses COVID-19 related health disparities and advances health equity. BRHPC commends the highly specialized workforce from Holy Cross Health, Memorial Healthcare System and Mount Olive Development Corporation for a successful year.

     Holy Cross was a sponsor of this year’s event and Community Health & Well-Being colleagues were able to provide Covid-19 information on vaccines access to this very often overlooked group – the LGBTQ+ Caribbean community.

Holy Cross Community Health & Well Being Provides Immunization

In preparation for the upcoming school year, Community Health & Well-Being nurses and ARNP were busy providing required immunizations.

Many had never had COVID vaccines, and much time was spent providing education on COVID vaccines and dispelling myths.

In the Past but Not Forgotten…

Removing the important lessons of who we are, where we came from, and why things are the way they are robs our minds of the necessary understandings to overcome the hurdles of conflict, genocide, and historical trauma.

Tears rolled down Miss Julia’s cheeks and she did make eye contact with me. I pulled a chair alongside of her and asked gently what was wrong… She said that she was scared and afraid to get her COVID vaccine. She shared that it reminded her of the Tuskegee experiment and that she was frightened of it. Her breath was shallow, and her eyes clouded with worry and sadness, as she finally met mine. My eyes too became teary as we discussed the vaccine while acknowledging our history. Julia further shared that she’d taken none of her medications today (blood pressure, diabetes, etc.) because she’d been afraid that they might interact with her vaccine. Education. Debunking myths. Honest discussion. We took the time, Julia, and me to talk through her worries and concerns.

Julia was born and raised in Fort Lauderdale. She is the mother of two sons and a grandmother to 4 grandchildren. In the Spring she plans to travel to Ghana, Africa, where COVID vaccine is mandatory. If not for her trip, she would not have considered taking the vaccine especially since she did not receive any encouragement from members of her community who were as she, either against it or neutral. Wrongdoings, she said has made her very skeptical and hesitant towards the government and anything provided for free.

Julia got her vaccine and returned 4 weeks later for her second shot – having taken her routine medications. She intends on returning in 5 months for her booster.  Today, she is an advocate for our COVID Hesitancy project. She is the one encouraging other members of her family to get the vaccine (she is the only one vaccinated). This on the tails of 3 members of her immediate family recently testing positive for COVID-19.

Bivalent Boosters! are giving every Thursday in September and October at Holy Cross Health Outpatient area. RSVP call Virginia at (954) 542-1654. Don’t forget to bring vaccine card and idenfication.

For more information, support, and assistance with community resources available to support vaccine access, contact Jasmin D. Shirley, MSPH, Project Director, at (954) 561-9681 x 1261 or email Jdshirley@brhpc.org