COMBATING VACCINE HESITANCY

STUDENTS

COMBATING VACCINE HESITANCY

After helping administer COVID-19 vaccines at Dodger Stadium, Olivia Ramirez, PharmD Class of 2022, took her pandemic-fighting efforts a step further. She translated a presentation to promote vaccine confidence and dispel myths, and shared it with a Spanish-speaking community in need.

When the CEO of Yamamotoyama, a green tea company, asked the School of Pharmacy for help addressing vaccine hesitancy among some of the employees in its Pomona, Calif., warehouse, Ramirez stepped up.

“Three of my classmates—Vivi Nguyen, Ashley Bachan and Joy Ahn—were working on a presentation on vaccine awareness and debunking vaccine myths for their Scholarly Project,” Ramirez says. “I translated the presentation into Spanish.” She then gave the talk in two hour-long sessions in March to 60 to 80 attendees.

“I described the importance of herd immunity and why it was vital to get the COVID-19 vaccine when it was offered to them—and how it protects those who couldn’t get the vaccine yet, like children,” she says. “They asked a lot of great questions, like ‘Should we get one shot of Pfizer and one shot of Moderna?’ and ‘If I have cancer, should I get the vaccine?’”

She conducted pre-presentation and post-presentation surveys and notes that attendees expressed a lot more confidence in the vaccine after the talk.

“It felt rewarding to give back to my community,” Ramirez says. “They see someone who looks like them, and I think there’s a level of trust that comes just from that. I made sure to say ‘We should get the vaccine because …’ and ‘I was a little hesitant, too, but after reading about the science and digging into various resources, I think it’d be beneficial to get the vaccine.’”

Her work on the project also benefited her own family in Hawthorne, Calif. “My dad was hesitant to get the vaccine, but as he was helping me translate the Q&A and presentation from English to Spanish, he felt more assured,” Ramirez says. “He read the resources, understood the science behind the vaccines and learned that he wouldn’t get sick from the vaccine. He’s vaccinated now, so I’m very thankful for how this whole experience impacted my family, too. My grandma and brother were also hesitant at first, but I made sure to prepare for the presentation in my living room where they could hear the material. Now everyone in my immediate family is vaccinated.”

Recalling the vaccination clinic at Dodger Stadium, Ramirez says at first it was a little overwhelming to be on the front lines of the pandemic, but she was grateful to be able to answer patient questions and concerns. “The school prepared students well, and overall it was a great, memorable experience,” she says.

Ramirez plans to become an ambulatory care pharmacist and help people manage chronic disease.