STATE SUPERINTENDENT TONY THURMOND HOSTS VIRTUAL VACCINE TOWN HALL AUG. 11 TO SUPPORT SAFE BACK-TO-SCHOOL WITH FREE GIFT CARDS, NBA STAR KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR, TOP DOCTORS AND EDUCATORS IN POWER GUEST LINEUP

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East County News Service

August 9, 2021 (Sacramento) -- On Wednesday, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and a lineup of public health experts, legendary guests and youth leaders will promote vaccine effectiveness in a Virtual Vaccine Town Hall. The event is designed to capture the interest and engagement of individuals of all ages and across demographic, geographic, and social groups and inform the important conversations around a safe return to in-person learning. The goal of the event is to reach at least one million Californians and have an impact on boosting vaccination rates for the benefit of schools and communities. The Virtual Vaccine Town Hall will include Spanish language and American Sign Language interpretation service and be accessible by teleconference and viewable by Zoom webinar and on the California Department of Education (CDE) Facebook Live.

Guests will join Superintendent Thurmond to provide current data and public health information as well as share personal battles to combat COVID-19 misinformation and anti-vaccine sentiments, especially within some of the hardest-hit communities of the state. The virtual two-way town hall format will allow Californians of all ages to tune in and get their questions answered from these California experts and icons. 

“We are encouraging everyone to get vaccinated. Children as young as twelve are now eligible to get vaccinated, and the safety of our communities and schools is dependent on increasing vaccination rates,” said State Superintendent Thurmond. While California is leading the nation in vaccinations, with more than 44 million doses administered and close to 75 percent of the eligible population having received at least one dose, California is seeing increasing numbers of unvaccinated people being admitted to the Intensive Care Unit and dying. This increase is heavily due to the Delta variant, which is more contagious and a very real threat. Now is the time to get vaccinated!”

 

As an incentive to the public, individuals will be able to take part in a gift card giveaway for town hall attendees who get the vaccine.

 

Wednesday’s Virtual Vaccine Town Hall on Supporting a Safe Back-to-School will feature appearances by youth leaders and: 

 

 

 

  • Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, NBA Legend, Author, and California Education Ambassador
  • Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, California’s Surgeon General and an award-winning Physician, Researcher, and Advocate dedicated to childhood trauma 
  • Dr. Naomi Bardach, State Lead of Safe Schools for All Team and Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Policy in the Department of Pediatrics and the Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies at the University of California, San Francisco
  • Dolores Huerta, Civil Rights Leader and California Education Ambassador
  • Dr. Karen Korematsu, Educator, Activist, and California Education Ambassador​​

The public is encouraged to register early for the live webinar at the link below and may submit questions in advance to communications@cde.ca.gov

Date

Wednesday, August 11, 2021

Time

6 to 7 p.m.

How to Access

Zoom:

Please register in advance:  https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_WxvyXhdjRG6J17qvLvtTbA

Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/CAEducation

Teleconference Dial-in Option: 855-756-7520

For English, use extension 75285. For Spanish, use extension 75306.

 


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