February 22, 2021
Black History Month at Rutgers
The university published Reflections on Black History, in which members of the Rutgers community share their thoughts on the past, present and future. Students, faculty, and staff are celebrating Black History Month with a wide range of cultural and educational activities across the university.

American Heart Month
February is a time when all people can focus on their cardiovascular health.
The CDC's Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention is shining a light on hypertension (high blood pressure), a leading risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

Will the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines work against the new coronavirus variants?
By now, you’ve probably already seen the reports on the emergence of new, more contagious variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. And, like me, you’ve probably stared at the ceiling after reading them, asking, “Really, universe? Really?”

Community Conversations: NJ COVID-19 Storytelling Project
New Jersey organizations and residents are encouraged to submit stories about their experiences over the past year. The project is a statewide collective ethnography that will commemorate the voices of New Jerseyans. The project aims to portray stories of hope. Stories will be collected through March 31.

Upcoming Events
Ten Years of the Science of Behavior Change Common Fund Program: Celebrating Accomplishments and Looking to the Future

February 22, 12:30 - 4:30pm ET
February 23, 12:30-4:15pm ET

 The goal of the NIH Science of Behavior Change (SOBC) Common Fund Program is to advance behavior change research through a focus on mechanisms of change and the integration of basic research with applied/interventional research.
The History of African Americans During the 1918 Influenza Epidemic

February 23, 5:30pm ET

Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School invites you to celebrate Black History Month by attending this virtual event, presented by Vanessa Northington Gamble, MD, PhD.
Addressing Intimate Partner Violence in 
Communities of Color 

February 25, 12pm ET

The Rutgers Office for Violence Prevention & Victim Assistance invites you to a special panel event to discuss how Black & Brown communities are disproportionately affected by interpersonal violence, the impact of COVID, and what health providers can do.
Why Black Lives Matter: The Start of the Conversation

February 25, 12pm ET

Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School invites you to a special Black History Month virtual event, presented by M. William Howard, Jr.
4-H Youth Development presents
Ask a Rutgers Scientist

February 25, 7pm ET

Middle and high school youth and their families are invited to join Health Scientists to discuss community health, COVID-19 research and vaccination, and careers in these fields. Submit your questions beforehand here.
 Affirming Medical and Mental Health Care for LGBTQAI+ Communities

February 25, 2pm ET
February 26, 8:30am ET

Join the Rutgers Office for Graduate Student Life in this two-day colloquium bringing together experts from medical and mental health, social sciences, and humanities scholars to advance and challenge the national discussion on health care systems. 
Community Grants
Positive Action Community Grants

ViiV Healthcare supports community-led efforts to increase engagement in prevention and care, address stigma and build trust in HIV care among communities most disproportionately impacted by HIV and AIDS. PACG funding may be requested to support efforts to respond and adapt to the pandemic. Applicants are encouraged to submit applications by July 1, 2021. Learn more about the fund here.
Walmart.org - Local Community Grants

Our local community grants are awarded through an open application process and provide funding directly from Walmart and Sam’s Club facilities to local organizations in the U.S. Don’t know how to determine your local facility? Don’t worry, the application will assist you. The application deadline for the 2021 grant cycle is Dec. 31, 2021. Learn more about the fund here.
Community Resources
Dr. Brandt Addresses the Question: Is it Safe to Get COVID-19 Vaccine while Pregnant? Read more here.

You can find community-based and local COVID-19 testing site locations and hours here.

New Jersey COVID-19 Information Hub: The State of New Jersey has put together a list of resources about the COVID-19 virus including testing sites, signs and symptoms and FAQs about social services. 

Visit New Jersey’s COVID-19 Vaccine Registration site to pre-register for the vaccine. New Jersey's Covid-19 Vaccine Appointment Call Center can be reached at 855-568-0545.

In an effort to keep you safe and well informed, Jeffrey Carson, MD, at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School provides direction and answers to your COVID questions. Watch Part One of the Navigating COVID Series.

Listen to "On the Pandemic with Mary E. O'Dowd," a RutgersCast series in which university experts and leaders in health examine the critical challenges we face in our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. New episodes are posted every other Thursday.

Middlesex County residents can register for a free COVID-19 test at sites throughout the county. Appointments required. The sites provide saliva-based test kits developed at Rutgers University.

Wide disparities in COVID-19 vaccine access are resulting from a patchwork of allocation formulas developed by U.S. federal agencies, states, local health departments, and medical centers. Read more here.

Racial disparities in COVID-19 mortality in the U.S. are associated with social factors like income, education, and internet access, according to a Rutgers study. Read more here.
New Jersey Alliance for Clinical and Translational Science

This newsletter is supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under award number, UL1TR003017 to Rutgers University. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not represent the official views of the NIH.

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Send story ideas to njactscommunity@rwjms.rutgers.edu

Copyright 2021 New Jersey Alliance for Clinical and Translational Science, all rights reserved.