HealthyWomen recently sat down with actress, mother and business owner Nicole Ari Parker to discuss the importance of getting vaccinated against Covid. The star of the new show “The Refuge Plays” has also supported health and wellness initiatives for many years.
Here, she sheds light on vaccine hesitancy among people of color, the crucial role of knowing your options, and why protecting yourself (and your loved ones) from Covid is the ultimate form of self-care.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Healthy Women: At HealthyWomen, we understand that women are the “medical directors” of their families. You have an 83-year-old father, an 80-year-old mother, a husband and two teenage children who you care for in some way. Did your role as medical director influence your decision to educate yourself about your vaccine options and talk to your loved ones about vaccination?
Nicole Ari Parker: Yes, when Covid first hit, we all panicked. We didn’t know how to get it, if we would get it, if we would hurt other people. So we gathered all the information we could and talked about it: about my children’s concerns and my parents’ concerns about their age. And I found that getting vaccinated and vaccinating my children was the best step for me.
My job and my husband’s job. [as actors] It’s kind of a mandate that, for the safety of all the people who work in the studio system, we were all vaccinated. But that accelerated our deep dive into learning about what was safe and staying informed about public health issues like Covid, which is crucial to making smart decisions that keep everyone safe.
Healthy Women: When it comes to Covid vaccines, what do people need to know about the options available to them?
Nicole Ari Parker: We are fortunate to have multiple vaccine options to protect us. So the first thing you should do is educate yourself about the different types of vaccines that exist and then discuss those options with your healthcare provider.
Healthy Women: There is a lot of vaccine hesitancy, especially, research shows, among people of color. What is your advice for people who have questions about the Covid vaccine?
Nicole Ari Parker: Well, Covid itself doesn’t discriminate, right? Everyone can get it. It’s just about the disproportionate numbers of how people suffer with Covid when they are not vaccinated and how it has really affected, disproportionately, different communities, including the African American community. And according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are Many social, geographic, political, economic and environmental factors. that create challenges for vaccination access and acceptance. And that often affects racial and ethnic groups, like the black community.
There is a lot of misinformation out there and finding the truth is often very difficult. According to the CDC, starting in March 2023, only 29.3% of Black adults in the US aged 18 and over have received an updated Covid booster. And it’s important to stay informed about public health issues like Covid so you can stay up to date and ready to make these decisions for the health of you and your family.
It is important to talk to a healthcare provider you trust about your Covid vaccine options and which one is right for you and your loved ones. I am vaccinated. I am driven.
Healthy Women: So this relates to that question. As a woman of color who has a public presence and, with it, influence, why do you think it is important to use her voice to highlight the issue of Covid vaccines?
Nicole Ari Parker: That’s a great question. Like many other women do, I often think about how to better care for myself, my husband, my children, and my 80-year-old parents. I have an unwavering desire to protect them from danger. But I also think there is a very clear distinction between the Covid and Covid vaccines. The wonderful thing I discovered about getting vaccinated is that even if you contract Covid, the risk of a debilitating deterioration or a hospital stay that could later turn into a longer stay is greatly reduced.
I contracted Covid twice. My father, 83, contracted Covid and recovered in four days. It didn’t take a toll on his body because he was ready to fight and the Covid vaccine helped him do just that.
Healthy Women: Absolutely, I’m so grateful your family was safe from this. You are 52 years old, which is surprising. You are beautiful, but you can be beautiful and be 52 years old.
Nicole Ari Parker: [Laughing] 52 is what makes you handsome, right? All 30 year old women should stop panicking and come here. You really know who you are and how you feel and all that stuff!
Healthy Women: So, you’re back on stage, performing several times a week. How does being vaccinated help you feel comfortable being on stage at a live performance when we couldn’t leave the house three years ago?
Nicole Ari Parker: I feel great to be able to continue working in theater with great actors and a great director. But I, again, stay informed about public health issues like Covid to help make the right decisions for my family. In most theaters, it is recommended to wear a mask when entering and purchasing tickets. Even then, with masks and all the information available, I think it’s important to protect yourself and find out how to do it by going to ChooseToProtect.comand talk to a healthcare provider about what is right for you.
Healthy Women: Like many of us, you must be incredibly busy. I’m sure it may seem like there’s no time to practice self-care. How do you recommend women take the time to learn about Covid vaccine options so they can stay informed and keep their loved ones healthy?
Nicole Ari Parker: Self-care is really important and having a regimen that isn’t overwhelming is also really important. Simply deciding three things you are going to do and sticking to them not only keeps you physically healthy, but mentally you are building resilience and a promise to yourself that you will stay safe. And that way you will have a clear head, you will be able to make informed decisions, you will be able to search for information and make the best decisions for your family.
For example, my husband created a 15-minute workout for me, but you can find any 15-minute at-home workout online. You put it in a search engine and it appears. Commit to it. “I’m going to get up, no matter what, even if I’m still in my pajamas, I’ll do this for 15 minutes.”
I’m not one of those people who lines up eight bottles of water to drink; I can line up two and drink them. And I have three vitamins that I take. I put my gym wrap That’s what I created about, thank you, shameless plug, and I commit to that regimen, and I feel like that stability keeps my head clear, keeps my body happy, and I can be the best mother, wife, and actress that I can be.
This educational resource was created with the support of Novavax.
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