Latinos are among the least vaccinated groups against the flu, but have 20% higher rates of hospitalization from influenza than other minorities. In response, public health leaders are launching a campaign titled “Risk Less. Do More.”

TUESDAY, AUGUST 20
PROGRAM #10473 11:00 AM PT

Extra Edition: Overcoming Low Vaccination.

Latinos are among the least vaccinated groups against the flu, but have 20% higher rates of hospitalization from influenza than other minorities. In response, public health leaders are launching a campaign titled “Risk Less. Do More.” to educate Latinos and tackle misinformation about the flu, Covid-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines. An expert joins this program to discuss myths and facts about respiratory virus vaccines.

Guest: Dr. Trinidad Solis, Deputy Health Officer, Fresno County Department of Public Health, Fresno, CA.

Protecting Against Mutating Viruses. As the viruses that cause Covid-19 and influenza spread, they change or mutate. These mutations help viruses avoid our natural immune response. Because of this, influenza and Covid-19 vaccines are periodically updated to protect against circulating variants of a virus. The best way to reduce your risk of serious illness is to stay up to date on these recommended vaccines. In recent weeks, we have seen a surge in Covid-19 infections across the country, and both Covid-19 and influenza continue to cause thousands of hospitalizations and deaths each year. How and where to get the most updated vaccines? How to plan for the season of respiratory illnesses?

Guest: Dr. Bertha Hidalgo, Epidemiologist and Associate Dean at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.

Back to School Enrollment. Having health coverage can improve students’ academic performance and health. When children have health care, they are less likely to miss school, better able to participate in extracurricular activities, and more likely to finish high school and graduate from college. Still, nearly four million children are uninsured. And many of them can get free or low-cost health coverage through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). This back-to-school season, experts remind those families that they can enroll in or renew coverage. How does health influence student academic performance? What types of services do Medicaid and CHIP cover? What services are especially important for students?

Guest: Carolina Fortin-Garcia, Spokesperson, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services-CMS, Washington, DC.

Photo: IMF/Flickr

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