Understanding The COVID-19 Vaccine And Questions For Communities Of Color: UMMS

Press release from Towson University:

The University of Maryland Medical System is hosting, "Finding Hope on Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr. Day – A Town Hall on Understanding the COVID-19 Vaccine," January
18 at 11 a.m. The webinar comes on the day the nation marks Martin Luther King Day.

Leading the discussion will be University of Maryland Medical System President and
CEO, Dr. Mohan Suntha, the town hall webinar emcee, and UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski,
town hall moderator.

More than 375,000 Americans have died and more than 20 million have been infected
with the virus that causes COVID-19. This town hall is designed to inform the community
and address questions and concerns about the vaccine, particularly for communities
of color.

According to the CDC, "long-standing systemic health and social inequities have put many people from racial
and ethnic minority groups at increased risk of getting sick and dying from COVID-19."

This fact is of significance to the TU community — of which half identifies as a minority.
Nearly 25 percent of TU's student body identifies as African-American. TU's priority
of fostering an inclusive community led to Insight into Diversity magazine awarding TU the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award. TU is the only higher education institution in the state of Maryland to receive the honor and one of 90 across the nation.

In order to participate in the town hall, register with pass code 2021.You can also participate in the town hall via Facebook Live on the UMMC Facebook page.

This story is one of several related to President Kim Schatzel’s priorities for Towson University: TU Matters to Maryland and Diverse and Inclusive Campus.

This press release was produced by Towson University. The views expressed here are the author’s own.