COMMUNITY HEALTH INFORMATION
HHS COVID-19 Community Corps
In April, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) COVID-19 Public Health Education Campaign launched the COVID-19 Community Corps, a nationwide, grassroots network of local voices and trusted community leaders to encourage COVID-19 vaccinations.
This effort will mobilize health professionals, scientists, community organizations, faith leaders, businesses, rural stakeholders, civil rights organizations, sports leagues and athletes, and people from all walks of life to become leaders within their communities to help get friends, family, and neighbors vaccinated.
OMH invites you to join the conversation by using the hashtag #VaccineReady and joining the COVID-19 Community Corps. As a Corps member, you will get resources to help build vaccine confidence in your community, including:
- Fact sheets on vaccine safety, tips on how to talk with friends and family about the importance of vaccination, and hints for planning and attending community events.
- Social media content to share with your followers.
- Regular email updates with the latest vaccine news and resources to share.
To learn more about the COVID-19 Public Health Education Campaign or to join the Community Corps, visit wecandothis.hhs.gov.
Lupus Awareness Month
May is Lupus Awareness Month and is an opportunity for the lupus community to join together across the nation to raise awareness of the physical, emotional, and economic impact this disease has on minority populations—particularly women of color. The Lupus Foundation of America has announced that this year’s call to action is “Make Lupus Visible.”
Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that triggers inflammation in different tissues of the body. According to the Office on Women’s Health (OWH), about 9 out of 10 adults with lupus are women, however, men, children and teenagers can develop lupus too. Lupus is more common in Hispanic, Asian and American Indian/Alaska Native women. African American women are three times more likely to get lupus than white women.
Although lupus is a chronic disease with no cure, treatment can help improve symptoms, prevent flares, and prevent other health problems.
This month, help make lupus visible by participating in World Lupus Day (May 10) and Put on Purple Day (May 21). For more information and to access downloadable materials, visit the Lupus Awareness Month website.
National Women’s Health Week – May 9-15
National Women’s Health Week (NWHM) is a weeklong observance led by the HHS Office on Women’s Health (OWH) to encourage women and girls to make their health a priority and build positive health habits, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is crucial for all women and girls with underlying health conditions, such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular and respiratory conditions, and women 65 years and older, to take care of their health now.
As part of the observance week, OWH reminds women and girls to take care of their body and mind by doing the following:
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Get and stay active regularly at home or outside the home
- Eat heart-healthy food
- Take care of their mental health
- Find healthy ways to manage stress
- Practice good sleep habits
- Monitor alcohol intake
For more information about National Women’s Health Week, please visit the OWH website.