Teens Push for Community Health

Sixteen public high school students in Cincinnati, Ohio, rose to the challenge of countering COVID-19 misinformation and encouraging vaccination during the pandemic. As leaders of a youth health program, these students drew from their experiences as children of recent immigrants from Africa, Asia, Central America, and South America to create materials in their native languages as well as in English, including videos, flyers, posters, and school displays to promote vaccinations in their school and home communities.  As part of the effort, they held a vaccination event with the Cincinnati Health Department and Cancer Justice Network/Coalition for Health Justice, a local community organization that helps low-income individuals and minorities get early and timely screening and treatment for cancer.  As a result, over 55 people were vaccinated for COVID-19 at the event, breaking the record for the highest number of vaccinations given at any previous school-based clinic.