AdvoHealth Helps Teens Learn about COVID Vaccines
Elaine Pan is a rising junior at Northwood High School as well as the CEO of AdvoHealth. Photo credit Elaine Pan.
When the pandemic began, Elaine Pan was a typical freshman at Northwood High School. She wasn’t an immunization advocate or particularly passionate about public health.
By the summer of 2020, all of that changed. She began to see the impact of public health policy on our community. Like the rest of us, she was horrified by the disruptions COVID-19 caused and frustrated that young Irvinites weren’t getting vaccinated when the opportunity arose. Unlike the rest of us, she did something about it.
Pan launched AdvoHealth, a health advocacy group lead by teens. AdvoHealth is a student-led nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health literacy, promoting community engagement, and advocating for health issues that have been stigmatized or neglected. As the nonprofit’s CEO, she found like minded students to work with.
“It’s nice to be with people who have the same interests and want to better the community,” says Pan. “My peers have been supportive.”
Pan cites political polarization and misinformation as major hurdles in getting more community members vaccinated against COVID-19. She has already partnered with the city of Irvine to help.
“A lot of people don’t know how to sign up to get the vaccine,” Pan says. “We are planning one final push to get kids vaccinated before school.”
That final push includes a webinar to be held this evening to help dispel vaccine rumors and encourage peers to get protected. But Pan’s plans stretch far beyond the pandemic. Aside from prepping for the SAT and dabbling in the podcast world, Pan ultimately wants to start a food blog. As an adventurous baker (Claire Saffitz is one of her favorite cookbook authors) and diner (she loves the tonkatsu romen with black garlic oil at Hiro Nori), Pan has much to share with the world.
“Isolation has been tough,” shares Pan, in reflecting on the pandemic. “I hope in the future we’ll be able to make a difference.”
AdvoHealth’s webinar is on Monday, July 19, at 4:45 pm. Speakers will include:
Kristina Perrigoue (Irvine’s Public Information Officer)
Regina Chinsio-Kwong (OCHCA’s Deputy Health Officer)
Dr. Eric Ball (CHOC)
Shadlie Kensrue (IUSD’s Coordinator of Health Services)
Register for the webinar online.