Why Our Ad Campaign Targets Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women, as well as Parents.

Pregnant women carry one of the highest risks for complications from COVID-19, yet pregnant and breastfeeding women vaccinate at a lower rate than the average non-pregnant adult. Pregnant women are at high risk for COVID-19 related severe illness, needing hospitalization and even death; as well as high rates of pre-term births.

Misinformation at the beginning of the pandemic misled the public to believe children can’t get severely ill from COVID-19.Yet nearly half of New York children 5-11 years old and 24% of children 1-4 years old who tested positive for COVID-19 have had symptoms of Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C). Despite this, the number of children under 12 who are fully vaccinated in New York State is extremely low. In the Bronx, only 2 percent of children under 5, and only half of children under 12 are fully vaccinated.

Parents of children may refuse to vaccinate their children for a variety of reasons. Pregnant or breastfeeding women are also refusing to be vaccinated for a variety of reasons. The reasons vary from religious beliefs, questions about vaccine safety for children, infants and pregnant women, low confidence in vaccine effectiveness, concerns about both side effects and long-term effects of the vaccine on women, children and infants, mistrust in the U.S. government and the speed at which the vaccine became available.

When someone becomes a parent or is an expectant parent, more often than not they turn to family and friends for advice on how to best care and protect their children. Advice about whether a parent should vaccinate their child(ren) or a pregnant woman should get vaccinated is considered more trustworthy coming from those already experienced in protecting their family.

One Mother to Another/One Father to Another/One Brother to Another
Eight Bronx mothers and fathers volunteered to participate in our vaccination ad campaign promoting COVID 19 vaccines as critical in protecting one’s family from COVID. The campaign, ‘One Mother to Another, One Father to Another, and One Brother to Another’ can be seen on digital panels outside subway stations, on subway platforms and LINKNYC kiosks across the Bronx.

Join our Campaign – Become a Vax Champion Dad or Mom
If you are interested in being part of the One Mother to Another/One Father to Another/One Brother to Another campaign to help  parents and parents-to-be learn how to protect their families, contact us at (917) 999-4904 or email us at: bxvaxchampions@gmail.com. We can provide you with posters, palm cards, resources (and sample social media posts to share).

Moms and Dads, Share Your Story
Share on social media. It could be a photo or video of you and your family, and why you got vaccinated. Use the hashtag #vaccinateforfamily in your post.

Learn about COVID-19 Vaccines
We welcome the opportunity to provide accurate information to anyone with questions about the vaccine. If you have any questions, please contact us at (917) 999-4904. You can also send a question on WhatsApp: bxhealthreachvaxchampions.

Protect Your Family, Choose Vaccination And Find Vaccination Events
With every family—infant to grandparent that is fully vaccinated—the closer we are to our goal of a healthier Bronx by putting COVID behind us. Let’s end the cycle of COVID-19 illness infecting Bronx families. Bronx residents can get vaccines at times and places most convenient for them in a number of ways using Vaccinefinder, calling 877-VAX-4NYC.

NYC Vaccine Access after May 11^th
The COVID public health emergency ended on May 11, but vaccines, testing and treatment for COVID-19 will continue to be available regardless of insurance or immigration status at 3 NYC Health + Hospitals’ urgent care facilities  and 3 Gotham Health clinics in the Bronx. For more information, call 1-844-NYC-4NYC. If you are recovering from COVID-19 or may have long-COVID-19 and need care, call 212-COVID19 (212-268-4319).