Renowned actress Nicole Ari Parker recently partnered with Novavax, a leading biotechnology company; and HealthyWomen, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating women ages 35 to 64 on how to prioritize their wellness. The partnership produced the Choose to Protect campaign aimed at raising awareness about the different types of COVID-19 vaccines.
To inform the campaign, a survey conducted by The Harris Poll was completed by U.S. adults aged 45+ who play a key role in household health care decisions. The goal was to better understand perceptions and attitudes toward vaccination, as well as how to take action on education gaps concerning COVID-19 vaccines.
Parker spoke to rolling out about what the partnership means to her.
Why did you partner with Novavax and HealthyWomen?
They reached out to me because I openly discussed my 83-year-old father being vaccinated. While he was recovering from cancer, I was interested in some of the wonderful things they were doing and they created a hub of information. My biggest [focus] — especially with the African American community — is information. They’re dedicated to raising awareness around COVID-19 and give you lots of information about getting vaccinated. I like that HealthyWomen and Novavax created the Choose to Protect campaign and created a space where people could bring their fears, questions and get all the information they needed before getting vaccinated. I’m vaccinated, my husband is, my children are and my parents [are too], but I was just as uninformed and nervous as the next person [initially].
Were you apprehensive about getting the COVID-19 vaccine?
I wasn’t afraid of it. I was born in the ’70s. I think I still have the vaccine scar on my arm from being vaccinated at [age] 2. I never had those fears. My real fear was about my parents. When COVID-19 hit, [I asked questions like], “Is the vaccine safe? Are there different strains of COVID-19 that could affect them more than the others?” They were able to go to their health care provider, talk to them about their fears and get the respect of their doctor to answer all of their questions. That’s what the campaign has done. It has created the space to answer all questions and provide up-to-date information.
Any words of wisdom to encourage people to take preventive measures?
My whole family is vaccinated. We’ve all gotten sick throughout the years at different times and seasons, but the recovery was just incredible. It was mandatory for me to be out of work, so I had to quarantine for 7 to 10 days, but I was negative in three days. I suffered maybe three and a half days, in terms of the cold-like symptoms. It was because I was vaccinated. I feel that it’s important [to take preventive measures]. I want people to feel safe, informed and up-to-date.
