Vaccines and US

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A message from Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch III

Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III: Vaccines and US

Lonnie Bunch (00:03):
Welcome. I'm Lonnie Bunch, the secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. The Smithsonian is proud to have the vial from the first COVID vaccine ever given in the United States as part of our collections. We hope we can acquire the last one after all Americans have received the shot. Thankfully, I have been vaccinated, I'm not afraid of needles, but I am afraid of COVID-19.

Lonnie Bunch (00:32):
Back in the 1950s, my parents were rightly afraid of polio, so I received that vaccination as a child growing up in New Jersey. Fear is a powerful emotion, but knowledge is a powerful cure. In an age of disinformation, we're working with other trusted cultural organizations to provide that cure. We've asked one simple question, how can we best serve local communities in this time of crisis? The answer is to help all Americans learn how, why, and where it's so vital for all of us to get the vaccine. I invite you to explore the site and answer for yourself how important vaccinations are for you, your loved ones, and your community. Thank you very much. Stay well.

This collaboration is for all of US.
Together, we can learn and answer questions.
Together, we can share experiences, express ourselves, and our cultures.
Together, we can heal physically, emotionally, and economically. 
There are so many ways to become part of US.

Site Use Note for Cultural Organizations

Learn how you can use this site for your organization.

Link to US

Download the Vaccines & US logo and link to the vaccinesandus.org portal.

Display and Distribute Posters

Show your support and show your favorite poster! All of the posters on this site are available to download and print.

Can your organization print multiple posters? Terrific! We hope you’ll make these available to your community to distribute across your neighborhood. Help US and help one another to color the world with kindness, art, and a safe place to find answers to your vaccination questions.

Host an Event

Are you planning on an online event for your community that we all could enjoy? By adding it to our calendar, you can invite others to join you. Submit copy for your events to VaccinesAndUS@si.edu.

Conversations in your community about post-pandemic plans, facing pandemic challenges or health and wellness related topics, can be inspirational for others. We can highlight your community conversation here. You can share your first-person stories with us via video or audio clips (with an image please). Contact us with details at VaccinesAndUS@si.edu—you might just see your neighbors on this site!

Last update: May 11, 2022