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The center will partner with several local public libraries to host free flu vaccine clinics this fall.
ALLENTOWN, PA – Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center’s new evidence-based campaign “Fight the Flu” increases access to the flu vaccine for LGBTQ+ people in the Greater Lehigh Valley and encourages LGBTQ+ community members to get the vaccine.
According to the 2020 Pennsylvania LGBTQ Health Needs Assessment, more than two in five LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians did not receive a flu vaccine in the past year.
Public health professionals have raised concerns that the flu and COVID-19 could create a potential “twindemic,” and the two viruses share similar symptoms.
“In the midst of flu season, it is critical to get the flu vaccine,” said Dr. Kimberly Levitt, health programs and supportive services manager at Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center. “It is of the utmost importance that LGBTQ+ community members and all people are provided with trustworthy information about vaccines, proactively engaged in health promotion campaigns around vaccinations, and linked to identified LGBTQ-affirming vaccine providers in order to increase rates of vaccination against influenza and COVID-19.”
Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center is partnering with several public libraries serving Lehigh, Northampton, and Berks counties to organize a series of free flu vaccine clinics. Lehigh Valley Health Network will administer the vaccines.
October 26: Kutztown Community Library (10 a.m. – 12 p.m.)
October 29: Bethlehem Public Library (4 p.m. – 6 p.m.)
November 4: Library at Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center (4 p.m. – 6 p.m.)
November 11: Easton Public Library (10 a.m. – 12 p.m.) November 13: Brandywine Community Library (10 a.m. – 12 p.m.) November 15: Emmaus Public Library (5 p.m. – 7 p.m.)
November 18: Memorial Library of Nazareth and Vicinity (4 p.m. – 6 p.m.)
November 20: Parkland Public Library (4 p.m. – 6 p.m.)
“Public libraries play a critical role in providing access to health literacy programs, services, and education,” said Janet Yost, director of Kutztown Community Library. “We are honored to collaborate with Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center with this campaign, as we educate our library patrons about the importance of getting the flu vaccine.”
“When you get your flu vaccine, you keep yourself and those around you safe,” added Adrian Shanker, executive director of Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center. “We are so proud to partner with several local public libraries and the Network of the National Library of Medicine so that we can promote a high quality of health for all LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians.”
Funding for the campaign is supported by the Network of the National Library of Medicine.
Note: Developed resources reported in this project are supported by the National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health (NIH) under cooperative agreement number UG4LM013724.
The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
About Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center (www.bradburysullivancenter.org)
Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center provides arts, health, youth, and Pride programs to strengthen and support the LGBTQ+ community across Pennsylvania’s Greater Lehigh Valley.
Information provided to TVL by:
Stephen Jiwanmall
Communications Manager
Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center
