During October and November, a special promotion was run by HealthFirst to encourage patients between the ages of 12 and 18 to receive their COVID -19 vaccinations. HealthFirst offered the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, both of which require two shots.
Each week, young patients who received their first vaccine during October and November received a $15 gift card from Amazon, Xbox, Wendy’s, Dunkin’ Donuts, or Subway. Those receiving their second vaccination during this time received a $10 gift card.
At the end of the promotion, all HealthFirst patients in this age group who received a first or second vaccine between August 28 and November 30, 2021 were eligible for the following three raffle drawings:
• An Amazon gift card for $100 (one vaccination)
• A Chromebook 4 valued at $210 (one vaccination)
• A Nintendo Switch Bundle with case and SD card valued at $450 (two vaccinations)
Jedianalise Tirado Eduarda Alves Santos Batista Eric Palomeque
All three winners said they were motivated to receive the vaccines by their wish to keep their families safe and well. Jedianalise Tirado, the recipient of the Amazon gift card, said, “I didn’t want to get sick or get my family sick.” Eduarda Alves Santos Batista, who received the Chromebook 4 said, “I received the vaccine to protect my family.” Eric Palomeque, who received the Switch Bundle with case and SD card, explained that “I received the vaccine for my family.”
Of course, our providers support these young people who decided to receive the vaccine not only to protect their own health, but that of their families.
Said Dr. Kimberly Zeller, who specializes in family medicine at HealthFirst, “Before I came to Health First, I worked all over the world, in places where vaccines aren’t always available. I’ve seen the devastating effects of preventable diseases like polio, typhus, measles, and tuberculosis, and have felt blessed to have been protected by vaccines. Since COVID hit, I have followed the research carefully, and have been so eager to bring effective prevention to our patients. I even enrolled my child in a vaccine study, to help researchers find a safe, effective vaccine quickly. My child had no side effects at all, and I was sure my child had the placebo, but was happy to learn that it was the real vaccine. I feel completely confident recommending the vaccine to my young patients, and I look forward to when we can all feel safe again.”
Dr. Amanda Kelvey, Director of the Hepatitis Eradication Program, echoed these sentiments by saying, “I’m excited to share I’ve received the COVID-19 vaccine. But I didn’t get it for me. I got it for my son, my patients, and my community. In 2020 we were challenged with some dark moments. We’ve been tested and isolated. And I’m ready for a change. You probably expect me to say that you should get the vaccine because you don’t want to get sick and that you won’t feel a thing. But I’m not here to say that. There are a lot of reasons why you could be skeptical. I do however, feel extremely confident in the safety and efficacy of this vaccine. And while there are side effects, they are not severe and they are short-lived. This is what we have all been waiting for so we can have a chance to end this pandemic. So, let’s transform hope into action and let that action lead us to a path of normalcy, safety, and happiness. If you have questions ask me about the vaccine so you can protect yourself, your family, and your freedom.”