As Savannah Sees a Drop in COVID-19 Cases, W. Montague Cobb/NMA Health Institute Emphasizes Importance of Vaccines for City's African American Community

SAVANNAH, Ga., Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The number of COVID-19 cases among students and staff in the Savannah-Chatham Public School System (SCCPSS) in Georgia dropped by 57%, according to a recent report. Public health experts believe that vaccines remain key to slowing the spread of COVID-19, especially in the African American community.

There is also a new sense of urgency to get vaccinated now that children 5 years and older can receive their shot. To make vaccines more accessible, W. Montague Cobb/NMA Health Institute announced it will host a drive-through Stay Well Savannah Community Vaccine Event Saturday, February 19 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Henderson Formey Wings Elementary Alternative Learning Center at 400 East Broad Street in Savannah. The W. Montague Cobb/NMA Health Institute functions as a national consortium of scholars who engage in innovative research and knowledge dissemination to reduce and eliminate racism as well as racial and ethnic health disparities in medicine.

The Stay Well Savannah Community Vaccine Event is free and open to the public. It will offer:

• Free drive-through vaccinations
• Health resources 
• Access to panel discussion with local and trusted Black healthcare professionals
• Giveaways

"We want to see families thrive and live a healthy life, without the dangers of this virus," said Ericka Russell-Petty, MD, a local Cobb Institute physician. "The goal of the Stay Well Savannah vaccine event is to provide access and information to each and every member of the community." 

Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc.- Savannah Chapter is serving as the local event organizer. 

"Accessibility of the vaccine is the force behind the Stay Well drive-through vaccine clinic. This is a joint effort between the Cobb Institute, state and local health organizations, and the Savannah community," said Annette Mitchell, an event coordinator for Savannah Chapter of Top Ladies of Distinction, Incorporated.

For more information, visit staywellcommunityhealthfairs.org. Stay updated via Facebook and Instagram.

About Stay Well Community Health Fairs
Stay Well Health Fair and Vaccine events are designed to bring health-related resources to Black communities across the country. The W. Montague Cobb/NMA Health Institute has partnered with local health agencies and community-based organizations in select cities to continue educating Black communities while working to make vaccine resources more accessible. These fairs feature local and trusted Black healthcare professionals in panel discussions on the continued impact of COVID-19, vaccines, and emerging variants. For more information, visit staywellcommunityhealthfairs.org.

About Top Ladies of Distinction, Incorporated
Top Ladies of Distinction, Incorporated (TLOD) is a nonprofit professional humanitarian organization founded in 1964 to help alleviate the moral and social problems confronting youth. Today, the organization helps nationwide communities make a positive impact in these areas (called Thrusts): Top Teens of America, Status of Women, Senior Citizens, Community Beautification, Community Partnerships. For more information, visit tlodinc.org and follow them on Facebook at TLOD, Inc. – National and @tlodinc1964 on Instagram and Twitter. 

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SOURCE W. Montague Cobb/NMA Health Institute