This COVID-19 and flu season, Nicole Ari Parker hopes you choose to protect yourself

Actress and advocate Nicole Ari Parker joins a campaign by Novavax and HealthyWomen to encourage COVID-19 vaccines this fall.

When actress Nicole Ari Parker‘s 83-year-old father took the initiative to ask his physician about COVID-19 vaccines, she said, “That really meant something to me and our family.”  

She added, “I just love that his doctor took the time to explain to him, with everything else going on in his life, that it was safe to take the vaccine.” 

Knowing firsthand how valuable it is to stay updated, Parker has joined the “Choose to Protect” campaign, launched Tuesday by biotechnology company Novavax and HealthyWomen, to encourage the public to stay informed about the latest COVID-19 vaccines. 

Ahead of the campaign release and in the midst of a busy schedule that includes playing the character “Early” in the Broadway debut of “The Refuge Plays,” Parker sat down with theGrio to discuss her involvement in the campaign.  

“As a member of the African-American community, we are very afraid, majority, a lot of us, of any kind of new health thing introduced,” Parker said. 

There’s much to stay up to date on when it comes to protecting against COVID-19. The days of choosing between Pfizer and Moderna are over, as individuals now have mRNA and protein-based options, like Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine Adjuvanted. 

According to a survey commissioned for the campaign and conducted by The Harris Poll, 85% of respondents feel it’s important to have a range of options for themselves and their families when it comes to COVID-19 vaccines. 

Emergency room doctor and American College of Emergency Physicians spokesperson Dr. Jose Torradas, who also sat down with theGrio ahead of the campaign launch, said the earlier lack of options could be “one important aspect” of why so many were apprehensive initially.

“The other [aspect] is how do you come to the decision, right?” Torradas said. “Folks, when told that they have to do something — when they’re told that ‘no matter how you feel, you must,’ those were the patients that I would see that would become the most reticent.” 

He added, “If the conversation can happen such that the decision is made in which you truly feel that it’s you making the decision of your own volition and from trusted voices, that I think is where it’s going to hit best.”

This campaign comes as many physicians have been encouraging the masses to push through any vaccine fatigue and get the most updated vaccines against COVID-19, along with getting a flu shot and RSV vaccination (if applicable). Torradas said he understands why a once-annual mentality will be easier to adopt in terms of messaging. However, he stressed that new variants of COVID-19 won’t wait until the same time each year to arrive. 

“Variants will continue to pop up,” he said. 

Again, this is why Novavax and others are urging the public to stay updated on the latest information concerning COVID-19. Advice on what type of vaccines are available, when you should receive boosters, and more is constantly changing as we learn more about the virus. 

According to the campaign’s survey results, roughly two in five respondents said they are knowledgeable about the science behind how different types of vaccines help to protect against COVID-19. There’s a growing wealth of information on the reliability of the various vaccines. Torradas noted that physicians are also primed and ready to discuss vaccinations with anyone still “on the fence.” 

“I really hope that people get their questions answered instead of bad information or misinformation so that they can make an informed decision that’s right for them, for their elders, their children,” Parker said, adding, “And feel good about making that decision.”

Kay Wicker is a lifestyle writer for theGrio covering health, wellness, travel, beauty, fashion, and the myriad ways Black people live and enjoy their lives. She has previously created content for magazines, newspapers, and digital brands. 

TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, and Android TV. TheGrio’s Black Podcast Network is free too. Download theGrio mobile apps today! Listen to ‘Writing Black’ with Maiysha Kai.

The post This COVID-19 and flu season, Nicole Ari Parker hopes you choose to protect yourself appeared first on TheGrio.