Virtual Town Halls to Address COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy

The New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) is hosting two free virtual town halls aimed at addressing facts, fears and myths related to the COVID-19 vaccines.

Registration is required for both. When participants register, they can submit questions that they would like addressed during the town hall.

The first, "Saving Lives with the COVID-19 Vaccine in NJ Asian-American Communities," takes place from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 20. To register, visit: https://bit.ly/39EjPYt. The town hall will be moderated by Janine Llamzon, a nurse with St. Joseph's University Medical Center in Paterson, and will feature Dr. Hafeza Shaikh, Cherry Hill Free Clinic and cofounder of CommUNITY SJP; and Dr. Naveen Merohtra, pediatrician and adjunct faculty member, Rutgers – Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

A second "Saving Lives with the COVID-19 Vaccine" town hall, for the general public, will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 27. To register, visit: https://bit.ly/3rRLrPX.

This town hall, moderated by Dr. Meg Fisher, special adviser to NJDOH Commissioner Judith Persichilli, will feature Dr. Irini Daskalaki, a pediatric infectious disease physician, medical epidemiologist and Medical Lead, COVID-19 Response, Princeton University Health Services; Dr. Hafeza Shaikh, Cherry Hill Free Clinic and co-founder of CommUNITY SJP; and Dr. Tamara Green, a board-certified emergency medicine physician.

Three earlier town halls focused on the Black and Caribbean, and Latinx communities (in English/Spanish) and are on the NJDOH YouTube Channel.