Public Health Awareness Campaign to Promote Health Equity Regarding COVID-19 Vaccines

The Henry Schein Cares Foundation, in partnership with the UPS Foundation, today announced the third phase of the “Wearing is Caring” public health campaign, focused on promoting health equity to advance education about, and access to, the COVID-19 vaccines.

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The campaign was first launched in October 2020 with a primary focus on promoting access to health care among underserved communities, and to encourage mask-wearing as an effective measure to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Education about and enhanced access to COVID-19 vaccines is critical to help navigate the pandemic, and additional work is needed to engage segments within our communities. According to the CDC, approximately 56% of Americans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. But some Black or African American people, as well as Hispanic or Latino people, are less likely to be vaccinated than non-Hispanics or people in other racial and ethnic minority groups. Americans who are members of racial and ethnic minority groups, including American Indian or Alaska Native people, have also been more severely affected by COVID-19 than non-Hispanics due to gaps in health care access, employment and working conditions, education, income, and wealth.

Primary care physicians can play a significant role in expanding access to the COVID-19 vaccine. A survey commissioned by the Henry Schein Cares Foundation found that 88% of participants indicated that their doctor’s advice was an instrumental factor in their decision to get vaccinated, highlighting the importance of primary care physicians as trusted advisors in personal health care decision making.

To help reinforce the importance of vaccinating communities in need and increase access to the COVID-19 vaccine, Henry Schein and the Henry Schein Cares Foundation will be supporting the following organizations with cash and in-kind grants:

• Choose Healthy Life is an initiative that helps Black churches – the oldest and most trusted institutions in the Black community – receive the necessary resources, training, and support to address COVID-19 and other health disparities by making health services available in hard-to-reach communities. Please click here to view a #ScheinChat between Debra Fraser-Howze, Founder of Choose Healthy Life, and Seema Bhansali, Executive Director of Corporate Affairs for Henry Schein, on increasing awareness and acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine among communities of color.
• Society of American Indian Dentists (SAID) is a national, non-profit organization composed of oral health professionals and students dedicated to promoting and improving the oral health of the American Indian/Alaskan Native community and providing advocacy for American Indian/Alaskan Native dental professionals across the U.S.
• Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) are composed of the Bitterroot Salish, the Pend d’Oreille, and the Kootenai Tribes. One of their many missions is to continue placing traditional principles and values into all facets of tribal operations and services so that its Tribes can preserve their culture while striving to become a self-sufficient society and economy.
• Hispanic Dental Association is a leading voice advocating for oral health for the Hispanic community. The organization provides service, education, research, advocacy, and leadership for health care professionals, to promote overall health of the Hispanic/Latino and underrepresented communities in support of their community Outreach Program in target areas, nationally.

“As society continues to navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic, it is vitally important that we work together to promote health equity through education and access to the COVID-19 vaccine,” said Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Henry Schein, Inc. “Through the ‘Wearing is Caring’ campaign, and together with our partners, we will work to help reduce the existing gaps in health care access for underrepresented and underserved communities.”

In addition to donating cash and in-kind products, Henry Schein will also provide reusable face-coverings for each organization to distribute in their respective communities*.

“We at The UPS Foundation are dedicated to investing in organizations that address systemic education and economic barriers and create opportunities for underserved and marginalized communities,” said Nikki Clifton, President, Social Impact and The UPS Foundation. “Our continued support of the Henry Schein Cares Foundation’s ‘Wearing is Caring’ campaign is a perfect example of how our collective efforts can help expand access to the COVID-19 vaccine.”

For more information about the Wearing is Caring campaign, please visit https://www.hscaresfoundation.org/.

About Henry Schein Cares Foundation

Established in 2008, The Henry Schein Cares Foundation, Inc., fosters a rich culture of giving back to society and serving others. As a global public health advocate, the Foundation catalyzes and engages stakeholders to foster, support, and promote the health care profession, including enhancing access to care for underserved and at-risk communities, globally in all health settings. A philanthropic vehicle for driving change toward building a healthier world, the Foundation supports innovation, strengthens health care system resilience, expands access to care for underserved communities, and invests in the next generation of health care professionals. The Foundation is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. To learn more about the work of the Henry Schein Cares Foundation, visit www.hscaresfoundation.org.

About Henry Schein, Inc.

Henry Schein, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC) is a solutions company for health care professionals powered by a network of people and technology. With more than 21,000 Team Schein Members worldwide, the Company's network of trusted advisors provides more than 1 million customers globally with more than 300 valued solutions that help improve operational success and clinical outcomes. Our Business, Clinical, Technology, and Supply Chain solutions help office-based dental and medical practitioners work more efficiently so they can provide quality care more effectively. These solutions also support dental and medical laboratories, government and institutional health care clinics, as well as other alternate care sites.

Henry Schein operates through a centralized and automated distribution network, with a selection of more than 120,000 branded products and Henry Schein private-brand products in stock, as well as more than 180,000 additional products available as special-order items.

A FORTUNE 500 Company and a member of the S&P 500® index, Henry Schein is headquartered in Melville, N.Y., and has operations or affiliates in 32 countries and territories. The Company's sales reached $10.1 billion in 2020, and have grown at a compound annual rate of approximately 12 percent since Henry Schein became a public company in 1995. For more information, visit Henry Schein at www.henryschein.com, Facebook.com/HenrySchein, Instagram.com/HenrySchein, and Twitter.com/HenrySchein.

*The reusable face masks are being distributed in accordance with FDA guidance, and have not been approved or cleared by FDA. They are intended for source control only.  They should not be used in high-risk environments.                                                                                                            

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