Fall Alert! Covid-19 "At Risk" people over 50 years old. Get Vaccinated!
By Dr. Lawrence Jones II
HHS(2022) "The mission of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is to enhance the health and well-being of all Americans by providing for effective health and human services and by fostering sound, sustained advances in the sciences underlying medicine, public health, and social services." The HHS encourages all Americans to get the updated vaccine. The Flu Season is around the corner as we approach the Fall Season. Both Flu and Covid-19 have the potential to spread more in the upcoming months because people will be spending more time indoors. In addition, HHS wants to encourage the "At Risk" or "En Riesgo" group, people over 50 years old.
CDC.(2022)COVID-19 is caused by a coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. Older adults and people with severe underlying medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes seem to be at higher risk for developing more severe complications from COVID-19. Golden (March 10. 2022) reports although vaccines save lives, "vaccine hesitancy, a tendency to avoid or put off getting a vaccine affects all demographics, especially when a new vaccine enters the market." Dr. Golden explains that institutional racism and historical inequities in health care may also play a role in vaccine hesitancy among African Americans and other people of color. She further mentions vaccine hesitancy among some groups can result from fears that a family member's immigration status will be under scrutiny.
Ndugga and associates (2021) explain that Black and Hispanic people have been less likely than their White counterparts to receive a vaccine throughout the vaccination rollout. Still, these disparities have narrowed over time and reversed for Hispanic people. Covid-19 is a type of severe acute respiratory disease that can cause pneumonia and deplete oxygen levels in individuals infected, which may require a hospital respirator. Also, in the attempt for the body to maintain a certain amount of oxygen, an individual may have labored breathing and increased heart rate trying to assist in oxygen flow throughout the body. People with underlying conditions such as heart disease, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and pulmonary disease are more vulnerable to the effects of the Covid-19 virus. So the vaccine can help individuals stay out of the hospital.
HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra encouraged "everyone eligible to get this free updated COVID vaccine to protect themselves and their loved ones." HHS (2022) emphasizes that the campaign has partnered with over 1,000 organizations, most of which work with minority or rural communities. These partnerships have reached over 26 million people, resulting in hundreds of events and over 15,000 vaccinations. These actions helped close a 10-point disparity gap in our nation's vaccination rate last year between White and Black/Latino communities. Ongoing targeted outreach to state, tribal, local, and territory groups with the lowest updated vaccine rates will remain a focus.
References:
CDC.(2022).Covid-19. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How Coronavirus Spreads | CDC
Golden, S.H. (March 10. 2022). COVID-19 Vaccines and People of Color. COVID-19 Vaccines and People of Color | Johns Hopkins Medicine
Ndugga, N., Pham, O., Hill, L., Artiga, S., Alam, R., & Parker, N. (2021). Latest data on COVID-19 vaccinations race/ethnicity. Kais Family Found. Latest Data on COVID-19 Vaccinations by Race/Ethnicity | KFF