(Black PR Wire) April is National Minority Health Month (NMHM). This year, Jessie Trice Community Health System is joining the Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH)) to highlight the important role individuals can play in their communities to help reduce health disparities and improve the health of racial and ethnic minorities.

The NMHM 2022 theme is Give Your Community a Boost! This theme focuses on the continued importance of COVID-19 vaccination, including boosters, as one of the strongest tools we can use to protect others from the COVID-19 pandemic that has disproportionately affected communities of color.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), certain vulnerable populations, including some racial and ethnic minority groups, have a higher likelihood of vaccine hesitancy. Some people from racial and ethnic minority groups have declined vaccination because of misinformation and mistrust of the healthcare system.

“During NMHM, we reiterate the importance of COVID-19 vaccines and boosters,” said Annie Neasman, President and CEO of JTCHS. Although COVID-19 vaccines continue to work very well at preventing severe illness, hospitalization and death, studies show their effectiveness wanes over time and changes for different variants. For this reason, the CDC recommends getting a booster shot to improve immune response and protection from COVID-19.”

Steps to Boost your community

1. Get informed about COVID-19 vaccines and boosters from trusted sources.
2. Get vaccinated and stay up to date on your COVID-19 vaccine.
3. Practice COVID-19 safety measures.

Those interested in getting a booster shot or initial vaccine doses can schedule an appointment at JTCHS by calling 305-637-6400.

Jessie Trice Community Health System Observes National Minority Health Month /Page Two

The Jessie Trice Community Health System, Inc. is one of Miami-Dade County’s preeminent federally qualified community health care centers, governed by a remarkably dedicated Board of Directors (51% of which are users of the medical and dental services) and a diverse, incredibly talented, committed family of providers and staff. The 1st Federally Qualified Health Center in the state and 5th in the nation, Jessie Trice Community Health System, Inc., is a Florida 501 (c) 3, not-for-profit organization that has been serving Miami-Dade County since 1967. JTCHS served its first patients from a trailer. Now, more than fifty (50) years after its founding, JTCHS owns and operates eleven (11) Comprehensive Primary Care centers, a 40 bed Women’s Residential Center for substance use, and are located in two (2) universities and forty (40) school-based health suites. 

JTCHS knows and specializes in comprehensive health, offering a myriad of services to improve the health of the community. This includes: dentistry, family medicine, nutrition, HIV/AIDS, behavioral health, transportation, healthy start, obstetric & gynecological care, school-based health, community health promotions, health & wellness center, pediatrics, and ancillary services. For more information on the Jessie Trice Community Health System, call 305-637-6400 or visit jtchs.org.

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