Rutgers partners with Boys & Girls Club in Newark to engage in vaccine equity

High school students in the Boys & Girls Club of Newark met with the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy on August 9 to discuss ways to build vaccine equity in their surrounding communities, according to a University article. 

The students, who are ambassadors from the Vaccine Equity Education Coalition (VEEC), participated in simulation scenarios with individuals from the University in order to become equipped to handle situations surrounding vaccine hesitancy and misconceptions in underrepresented groups. 

According to the article, these sessions were aimed at providing the ambassadors at VEEC with dialogue that would help them facilitate conversations with their friends and family around topics such as barriers to vaccines, misinformation and the importance of public health. 

"Our goal is to equip these young leaders with the knowledge and skills they need to advocate for vaccine equity in their communities," said Nina Raps, the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy's field manager. "This collaboration marks a significant step toward achieving vaccine equity, ensuring that all communities have access to life-saving immunizations."