By: City of Portsmouth

The FDA’s Office of Minority Health and Health Equity (OMH) recognizes April as National Minority Health Month in an effort to highlight the importance of improving the health of racial and ethnic minorities, and reducing health disparities. The theme for 2022 is Give Your Community a Boost ! focusing on the continued importance of COVID-19 vaccination, including boosters, as one of the strongest tools we have to end the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has disproportionately affected communities of color.

The Give Your Community a Boost! theme supplements the CDC recommendations to prevent COVID transmissions, such as physical distancing, use of well-fitting masks, adequate ventilation, and avoidance of crowded indoor spaces. Experiences with racism and discrimination can contribute to mistrust of the healthcare system among racial and ethnic minority groups, leading to mistrust of factual information on vaccines and
boosters. Because of this, the Give Your Community a Boost ! theme also supports the U.S. Surgeon General’s recommendations on combating COVID-19 and vaccine misinformation at the individual, community, and organizational levels.

This year, OMH invites partners and stakeholders to join the National Minority Health Month Partnership Program to encourage vaccination and booster shots among their family, friends, patients, and students, and help improve health literacy skills to combat dangerous misinformation. Learn about the U.S. Surgeon General’s recommendations on how to combat COVID19 and vaccine misinformation among individuals, communities, and organizations. Visit https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov./nmhm/ for more information.