Screenshot via YouTube

Slowly but surely, the COVID-19 pandemic is winding to a close. If you've been following the news closely, you know that the CDC has given the go-ahead for fully-vaccinated people to gather indoors without social-distancing or having to wear a mask.

This is especially good news to those of us who haven't had close-contact with our family members in over a year.

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Unfortunately, many Latinos are suspicious of the COVID-19 vaccine--especially the older, less-informed generation.

Luckily, the Ad Council has partnered with ad agency Pereira O'Dell to create a marketing campaign called "Project Abuelita".

"Project Abuelita" is a campaign aimed at encouraging older Latinos to get vaccinated. The campaign is part of the Ad Council's Vaccine Education Initiative. And as a side note, we dare you to watch the minute-long video and try not to cry.

The video shows an abuela cleaning her home and getting dressed. She has knick-knacks and sentimental mementos around her house, like kids' drawings and family photos. The doorbell rings and the abuela greets her daughter and two grandchildren.

The children, visibly excited to see their abuelita, hesitate to touch her. But after their mother gives them the go-ahead, they rush into her arms. The abuela looks overcome with emotion as she is finally able to hug her grandchildren for the first time in ages.

Despite COVID-19 hitting the Latino community particularly hard this past year, Latinos remain skeptical about the safety of the new vaccine.

According to a poll conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, only 26% Latinos said they would get the vaccine as soon as possible, compared to 40% of white people. 43% of Latinos said they would "wait and see".

Latinos aren't skeptical of the COVID-19 vaccine for no reason. There are multiple historical incidents where the U.S. government has exploited people of color and Latinos in the name of "health". Like when U.S. Public Health service purposefully exposed unknowing Guatemalan prisoners to syphilis in order to record its symptoms. And unfortunately, there are many other examples.

But the COVID-19 vaccines are nothing to be afraid of. Scientific consensus is that the vaccines are safe. Not only that, but getting vaccinated will help us get back to our normal lives.

The "Project Abuelita" video is for a free service of the same name that the Kern County Latino COVID-19 Task Force launched.

According to a press release, the service will utilize bilingual volunteers to reach out to the elderly, monolingual Latino population to help with vaccination efforts. The volunteers will schedule testing, vaccination appointments and follow-up appointments.

As Jay Tamsi, co-founder of the Kern County Latino COVID 19 Task Force says: “Our abuelitos need us more so now than ever in setting up their vaccination appointments solving transportation issues, and helping them make sense of our changing ways.”

Find out more about Project Abuelita here.