New Collaboration Aims to Empower Black Communities to Help Protect against Preventable Respiratory Diseases

Bethesda, MD (December 5, 2024)—The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) and the National Council of Negro Women Good Health WINs (NCNW) are joining forces to raise awareness about the importance of protecting Black communities across the US from preventable infectious diseases, including COVID-19, influenza (flu), pneumococcal disease, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Diseases like flu and COVID-19 have disproportionately affected Black communities and other racial and ethnic groups in the US, leading to more infections, hospitalizations, and deaths. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that from 2009 to 2023, age-adjusted flu hospitalizations were 1.8 times higher among Black adults compared to White adults.  Despite the higher disease burden among communities of color, vaccination rates for flu and COVID-19 have historically been low.

“NFID is excited about this collaboration, as we are committed to driving awareness about infectious diseases to motivate people to take actions to help protect their health,” said NFID Executive Director and CEO Marla Dalton, CAE. “It’s important that we empower trusted messengers from communities most impacted by respiratory diseases.”

“By getting vaccinated, we can help protect ourselves, our families, and our communities from becoming seriously ill due to flu, COVID-19, RSV, and pneumococcal disease,” said NCNW President and CEO Shavon Arline-Bradley. “Vaccines are the best line of defense to help protect against serious outcomes from these respiratory diseases, and every year, people in our communities become seriously ill, and many die because they are not vaccinated.”

As part of the collaboration, videos featuring Black community leaders urging their followers to get vaccinated will be shared nationally, and NCNW will air the NFID animated video Are You That Person? at events during National Influenza Vaccination Week (December 2-6, 2024). The video, available in English and Spanish, focuses on flu symptoms, prevention, and treatment, reminding viewers to get vaccinated each year and stay home when sick to help protect themselves and those around them.

Vaccination is especially important for those at higher risk, including infants and young children, pregnant women, older adults, and those with chronic health conditions. According to CDC:

• Everyone age 6 months and older should get an annual flu vaccine and an updated COVID-19 vaccine

• Those at risk should talk with a healthcare professional about options to prevent serious illness from RSV and pneumococcal disease

About NFID

Founded in 1973, the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to educating and engaging the public, communities, and healthcare professionals about infectious diseases across the lifespan. The NFID website features timely and updated information on COVID-19, flu, pneumococcal disease, and RSV. NFID has a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and has earned a Platinum transparency seal from Candid/GuideStar. For more information, visit www.nfid.org.

About NCNW

For 89 years, the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) has been committed to empower, inform, and uplift Black women, their families and communities. The Good Health Women’s Immunization Networks (Good Health WINS) is a commitment to build an army of good health champions who understand the importance of immunizations across the lifespan. Through a network of trusted messengers and grassroots activities, their goal is to increase vaccination rates and help remove barriers to access to vaccines and good health.

Contact:

Diana Olson (NFID), dolson@nfid.org

Erica Southerland, PhD, APR (NCNW), esoutherland@ncnw.org