PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — High school students in the city are leading an effort to fight COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Philadelphia teenagers.
The group Philly Teen Vaxx numbers about 40 student members who are working to convince their peers that getting the COVID-19 vaccine is safe — and the right thing to do.
"Most teenagers have many misconceptions about the vaccine," Philly TeenVaxx member Carmen Sackie said.
The Lincoln High School senior says too many teens believe the mistaken notion that the government may be using them as "guinea pigs."
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"Most people were like: 'I’m not going to take the vaccine due to the history of how people of color are being treated in the medical field,'" Sackie said.
While it is true that people of color have been historically mistreated by the medical field, Sackie says her group is trying to "cancel" the misinformation that the COVID-19 vaccine poses an inordinate risk to people of color, by posting testimonials on social media.
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Dr. Barbara Klock, the school district’s student health medical officer, says the students created their own logo and they’ve been promoting community vaccine events.
"The students have been putting out through their social media and TikToks — which is how students see things — as well as the email," Klock said.
Superintendent Dr. William Hite said, while COVID-19 vaccinations will not be required for in-person learning in the fall, he’s encouraging as many students as possible to roll up their sleeves.
"Whether it’s through this program or any other program, we want as many to be vaccinated as possible," Hite said. "The more we can get vaccinated, the faster we can stop the spread among the young people in their age group."