Mount Sinai Joins Challenge Encouraging Public to Get Vaccinated Against COVID-19
“This Jab’s For You” movement honors those lost and affected by the pandemic
The Mount Sinai Health System is joining medical centers across the United States in a grassroots effort to encourage public participation in vaccinations against COVID-19. The vaccination challenge known as “This Jab’s For You” will also honor the lives lost during the global pandemic and the countless health care workers, families, and loved ones who have been impacted by the spread of the disease.
“This is a time to reflect and heal; a time to remember those we lost and celebrate the lives of those that have overcome great obstacles and heartache,” said Steven Arsht, MD, Assistant Professor of Orthopedics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and one of the leaders of the campaign. “The vaccine is our way out and we are encouraging people to get vaccinated to protect themselves, their loved ones, and the people around them. Getting vaccinated can save a life.”
Dr. Arsht was inspired to help start the vaccination challenge as a tribute to his brother-in-law Louis Sarrel, who lost his battle with COVID-19 in April just three days after his 58th birthday and shortly after going into remission from treatment for lymphoma. The goal is to increase COVID-19 vaccine education and enthusiasm, helping people overcome feelings of “vaccine hesitancy,” especially among communities of color. Dr. Arsht, who treated COVID-19 patients while working in the intensive care unit during the peak of the pandemic, received his vaccination shots in January in memory of his brother-in-law, whom he called a “kind soul” and “amazing husband, father, and friend.”
“Mount Sinai is honored to be the first health system to join this important campaign,” said Jeremy Boal, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer of Mount Sinai Health System. “We all play a role in protecting our loved ones, neighbors, and community by wearing a mask, maintaining social distance, and now, getting vaccinated. Steve and his family are courageous in their mission to honor lives lost and while fighting this pandemic. We commend them and encourage others to join us in this campaign.”
Dr. Arsht noted that the pandemic has taken the lives of hundreds of thousands, devastated the economy, disrupted school and work, limited travel, and inflamed mental health issues with a rise in substance abuse and suicide. “People cannot see their elderly parents for fear of getting
them sick and grandparents cannot hug their grandchildren,” he said. “This cannot go on. We know—each and every one of us—that we have the power to put an end to this pandemic. The vaccines, along with social distancing and wearing masks, are the best tool to stop this pandemic.”
Giving a space for the public to pay tribute to loved ones they miss, the challenge encourages people to use the hashtag #ThisJabsForYou and tag @thisjabsforyou as they share their vaccination stories and photos on social media. A template is available online to download and fill out listing the name of the person the vaccination is in remembrance.
“This Jab’s For You” is also partnering with New Jersey-based teen artist Hannah Ernst who is creating digital portraits of those who have succumbed to the disease titled “Faces of COVID Victims.” The portraits include silhouettes of the loved one placed upon a yellow heart.
For more information about “This Jab’s For You,” visit https://thisjabsforyou.com.
About the Mount Sinai Health System
Mount Sinai Health System is one of the largest academic medical systems in the New York metro area, with more than 43,000 employees working across eight hospitals, over 400 outpatient practices, nearly 300 labs, a school of nursing, and a leading school of medicine and graduate education. Mount Sinai advances health for all people, everywhere, by taking on the most complex health care challenges of our time — discovering and applying new scientific learning and knowledge; developing safer, more effective treatments; educating the next generation of medical leaders and innovators; and supporting local communities by delivering high-quality care to all who need it.
Through the integration of its hospitals, labs, and schools, Mount Sinai offers comprehensive health care solutions from birth through geriatrics, leveraging innovative approaches such as artificial intelligence and informatics while keeping patients’ medical and emotional needs at the center of all treatment. The Health System includes approximately 7,300 primary and specialty care physicians; 13 joint-venture outpatient surgery centers throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida; and more than 30 affiliated community health centers. We are consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals, receiving high "Honor Roll" status, and are highly ranked: No. 1 in Geriatrics and top 20 in Cardiology/Heart Surgery, Diabetes/Endocrinology, Gastroenterology/GI Surgery, Neurology/Neurosurgery, Orthopedics, Pulmonology/Lung Surgery, Rehabilitation, and Urology. New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai is ranked No. 12 in Ophthalmology. U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Children’s Hospitals” ranks Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital among the country’s best in several pediatric specialties.
For more information, visit https://www.mountsinai.org or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.