Chair File: Boosting Efforts to Vaccinate America

The recent expansion of COVID-19 booster shots for certain adult Americans means that millions more people are now eligible to seek extra protection against the deadly virus. This is great news. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week could recommend the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5–11, following last Friday’s authorization of the vaccine by the Food and Drug Administration. 

With these promising developments in our fight against COVID-19, hospitals and health systems will continue to play a vital role in encouraging people to get vaccinated. Hospital team members and pediatricians can work with parents and caregivers to build trust in the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine for children 5–11 once the vaccine is recommended by the CDC. 

Understandably, many parents have questions, and providers can help with answers based in science. The AHA is partnering with the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association to host a Nov. 8 webinar on how clinicians can work with families to protect children at home and in school, and how hospitals can partner with local schools, school boards, teachers and parent-teacher associations to build confidence in the COVID-19 vaccine. 

As part of the AHA’s work on year two of a CDC grant, the association will continue developing new resources on vaccine confidence and seeking input and participation from the field on how best to communicate about the vaccine with hesitant populations.

The AHA’s COVID-19 Vaccine Communications Resources webpage is updated frequently with new videos, inspiring stories and case studies, downloadable social graphics in English and Spanish, and other resources. 

You’ll see a couple of new, short videos with Dr. Melinda Estes, who served as AHA board chair in 2020 and is president and CEO of St. Luke’s Health System in Kansas City, Mo., and me. We emphasize the importance of wearing masks, washing hands and getting vaccinated. 

I’ve spoken about this pandemic in terms of BC, DC and AC: before COVID-19, during COVID-19 and after COVID-19. We’re not at “AC” yet — and the AC world may not look like the BC world we once knew. 

What we do know is that getting more people vaccinated is our best defense against COVID-19. That’s why we’ll keep equipping you with tools and resources to help get more people immunized, which helps our communities move toward that AC world.  

Rod Hochman, M.D.
AHA Chair