Library Outreach About COVID-19 Vaccines for Children

The American Library Association is partnering with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ “We Can Do This” campaign to share trusted information about COVID-19 vaccines with parents and families with children.

In November 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 5-11. However, vaccination rates for children 5-11 have trailed rates among older age groups.

This session will highlight ways that libraries can inform parents and families about recommended COVID-19 vaccines for children using expert-verified outreach resources from HHS’ “We Can Do This” campaign.

Presenters:

Richard Reyes-Gavilan is the Executive Director of the DC Public Library. He oversees a campus of 26 libraries and a staff of 600. Before coming to the DC Public Library, he served as the Chief Librarian for the Brooklyn Public Library. Mr. Reyes-Gavilan holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the State University of New York at Albany and a master’s in library and information science from the University of Texas at Austin.

Aisha Quarles-Fisher, MD, FAAP is a Board-Certified General Pediatrician with Children’s National Hospital at THEARC in Washington, DC. She is also an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Dr. Quarles currently serves as the Reach Out and Read consultant at THEARC and is co-chair of the School Health Committee with the Washington, DC chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Erin Hemlin serves as a strategic partnerships director for the COVID-19 public education campaign within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In her role, she works to amplify the campaign’s outreach through trusted messengers and community partners who can best reach underserved communities.