April is National Minority Health Month

April is National Minority Health Month (NMHM), and the theme for this year’s observance is #VaccineReady. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health (OMH) will focus on the impacts COVID-19 is having on racial and ethnic minority and American Indian and Alaska Native communities and underscoring the need for these vulnerable communities to get vaccinated as more vaccines become available.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), certain vulnerable populations, such as non-Hispanic African Americans, individuals living in nonmetropolitan areas, and adults with lower levels of education, income or who do not have health insurance, have a higher likelihood of forgoing getting vaccinated.

Throughout April, OMH will empower vulnerable populations to get the facts about COVID-19 vaccines, share accurate vaccine information, participate in clinical trials, get vaccinated when the time comes, and proactively practice COVID-19 safety measures.

For more information, tools and resources to prepare for upcoming observance activities, visit the NMHM webpage, also available in Spanish, and sign up for the National Minority Health Month topic on our email list for updates.