U.S. Surgeon General, medical experts push vaccination for Asians

Clockwise From Top:  U.S. Surgeon General Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy, Joyce Javier, MD, MPH, MS, Pediatrician, Children’s Hospital, Los Angeles and Lieutenant Adelaida M. Rosario, PhD, Office of the Surgeon General. CONTRIBUTED

A virtual press briefing for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) media was held on Thursday, June 10, to support the Biden-Harris Administration’s We Can Do This drive to increase confidence in the COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination.

TDW+Co, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, hosted the webinar.

Medical experts from various states shared their pandemic experiences, as well as up-to-date and trusted COVID-19 vaccine information.

Special speakers included: Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy, MD, Surgeon General, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services; Lieutenant Adelaida M. Rosario, PhD, Office of the Surgeon General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and local doctors including Joyce Javier, MD, MPH, MS, Pediatrician, Children’s Hospital, Los Angeles based in Los Angeles, CA.

The medical experts answered questions about the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines, health inequities for AANHPIs, and how to stay safe and protected from the coronavirus to prevent further spread.

AANHPI communities face unique challenges during the pandemic, including obtaining information about COVID-19 and the availability of the vaccines due to language barriers, a low level of familiarity with computer technology, misinformation, and a misunderstanding of the vaccines or the science behind the vaccines.

“As a scientist, the lack of disaggregated data about AANHPI populations concerns me the most,” said Dr. Rosario. “The lack of data specific to our diverse populations hide some inequities caused by socioeconomics, health, and access. As a result, our communities are unaccounted for and feel invisible.”

“There is a lot of advocacy within the Filipino community to help disaggregate the data,” said Dr. Javier. “There is the disproportionate number of Pinay nurses who have died from COVID, so we know we’re at a higher risk, but we don’t have state or federal data to back this up. This has unfortunately led to the invisibility of the needs of our community.”

The medical experts agreed following the CDC guidelines and your own physicians’ guidance to get vaccinated as soon as you can to protect your family, loved ones, and community.

To watch the press briefing, visit:

Folder Link: https://vimeo.com/showcase/8558868

Password: tdw

For More Information on Vaccines 

Make sure to consult with your health practitioner before getting any vaccine. If you are looking for additional resources, turn to your trusted local leaders. If you have access to the Internet and are able to search for information online, visit trusted sources like the CDC, visit vaccines.gov or text your ZIP code to 438829 to find vaccines near you. Together, we can do this.