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Shots at the Shop

Shots at the Shop is a program to engage 1,000 Black-owned barbershops and hair salons nationwide to act as health advocates. Participants assist their clients in making informed COVID-related decisions, dispelling misinformation and hosting COVID-19 vaccination clinics in their shops. The program is made possible by a partnership between the University of Maryland’s Maryland Center for Health Equity, the Black Coalition Against COVID, the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), and the beauty and personal care brand SheaMoisture.

Lead by Stephen B. Thomas, PhD, director of the Maryland Center for Health Equity, and building on the Health Advocates In-Reach and Research (HAIR) campaign, the Shots at the Shop program will also train Black hairstylists and barbers to dispel myths and disinformation about COVID-19.

Barbers and stylists from across the US are invited to apply for a $1,000 grant provided by SheaMoisture by 1) registering for the initiative*, 2) attending or watching an entertaining and interactive orientation session, 3) completing a ~2.5 hour online Rapid Response Training Program called "From Vaccine Hesitancy to Vaccine Confidence", or 4) conducting a vaccination-related event with support from your local public health officials, and 5) completing a Certificate and Event Upload Form. At the conclusion of these steps, you will receive, within a three-week time period, the $1,000 grant, you will also enjoy the benefits of making a real difference in the lives of your customers and your community!

All steps must be completed by Thursday, September 30th. Those who do not complete the process by September 30th will be moved to the waitlist. 

*Please note that registration is currently closed and businesses can request to be waitlisted for the next funding cycle at sheamoisture.community@gmail.com. 

The online Rapid Response Training Program: From Vaccine Hesitancy to Vaccine Confidence will prepare barbers and stylists to:

  1. Conduct fact-based conversations with clients with the intent of reaching the “vaccine undecided” by answering common questions and referring their clients to resources to help them make the best decision for themselves, their families and their community. 
  2. Provide COVID vaccine materials and locations of vaccination clinical sites in their shops
  3. Hold on-site vaccination clinics with support from the “Shots@the Shop” team and your local public health officials through the support of the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO). NACCHO is well prepared and eager to assist you in conducting vaccination events or helping you to arrange for your customers to connect with other efforts in your community.

If you have questions and/or need any further information, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions or reach out to us directly at hair@umd.edu.

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Shots at the Shop Program Steps:

Please complete all of the following five steps to join the Shots at the Shop program and receive the $1,000 grant provided by SheaMoisture.
 

All steps must be completed by Thursday, September 30th. Those who do not complete the process by September 30th will be moved to the waitlist. 

Number One

Step One: Register

Registration is currently closed and businesses can request to be waitlisted for the next funding cycle at sheamoisture.community@gmail.com. 

If you have already registered, please complete the next steps outlined here.

Number Two

Step Two: Attend or Watch the Orientation

The orientation will introduce barbers and stylists to the program and clarify next steps. 
Watch a recording of the most recent orientation.  

The next live orientation date will be announced soon. 

Number Three

Step Three: Complete the Training (and Receive a Certificate)

The training involves completing training modules on your own time (~2.5 hours) taught by national public health and medical experts and other participating barbers and stylists. Watch the instructions for how to enroll in the course.

At the end of the training, you will receive a certificate, please save this certificate.

Enroll in the Training
Number Four

Step Four: Host a Vaccine Event

Ready to host a vaccination event? Get help connecting with your local health department to organize an on-site vaccination clinic. Please make sure to take and save pictures of your event.

Connect with Your Local Health Department
Number Five

Step Five: Complete the Certificate and Event Upload Form

To receive your $1000 grant, you must complete submit your training certificate and photos from your event. 

Complete the Form

Details on Hosting a Vaccine Event

Barbershops and salons can hold the following types of events to qualify for the $1000 grant from SheaMoisture:

  • Holding a COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic with a Clinical Partner inside your barbershop or salon.
  • Hosting a mobile COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic with a Clinical Partner outside or near your barbershop or salon.

We have made it easy and convenient for you to partner with your local public health department which can connect you with a clinical partner and provide access to trained professionals who are experienced and eager to come to your shop and organize a vaccination event with you in a convenient and friendly way. The organization NACCHO (the National Association County and City Health Officials) will assist in making connections to clinical providers in your local area who will be able to provide vaccines and education in your shop.

Please make sure to take and save pictures of your event and use #ShotsAtTheShop when you post about your event on social media!

Please email hair@umd.edu or shotsinshops@naccho.org with any questions.

VIDEO: HOW TO TRANSFORM YOUR SHOP/SALON INTO A COVID-19 VACCINE SITE

See a few of the barbershops and salon COVID-19 vaccine events held so far:

  • Wilson's Image Barbers and Stylists in North Minneapolis is hosting a Shots at the Shop Vaccine Clinic in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Health on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 am - 2 pm through August 21.
  • Fade'Em All Barber Shop, in Las Vegas, Nevada held a vaccine clinic on July 3 in partnership with the Southern Nevada Health District.
  • First Class Barbershop in Lithonia, Georgia along with Congressman Hank Johnson and the Dekalb County Health Department hosted a Shots at the Shop Vaccine Clinic on June 26th. 

Email the Shots at the Shop team at hair@umd.edu with any questions about hosting a vaccine event.

Shots at the Shop Videos: 

CBS News: Outreach at Barbershops and Salons to Quell COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy

Health officials and local community leaders are coming up with more creative campaigns to help encourage people to get vaccinated against COVID-19. CBS News' Natalie Brand reports, and then Stephen Thomas, Ph.D., from the University of Maryland's school of public health, spoke with CBSN's Tanya Rivero about "Shots at the Shop."

Shots at the Shop Promotional Video Featuring Trez Shadez Salon 

Dozens of teens and adults got their COVID-19 vaccine at a Capitol Heights hair salon which is part of the Shots at the Shop initiative, an ongoing effort to train 1,000 barbers and stylists to dispel myths about COVID-19 vaccination.

Instructions for Enrolling and Navigating the Course 

This video provides step-by-step instructions for enrolling in the online training course, "COVID19 Rapid Response Training for Barbers and Stylists: From Vaccine Hesitancy to Vaccine Confidence."

Orientation Video for COVID 19 Rapid Response Training for Barbers and Stylists

This recording of the July 1st orientation session will orient you to the Shots at the Shop initiative and provide information and tools about how hairstylists and barbers can serve as health advocates for their community, dispel myths and disinformation about COVID-19 and assist people in making informed vaccine decisions.

Diversity Behind the Scenes of the COVID-19 Vaccine

Learn more about the Health Advocates In-Reach and Research (HAIR) campaign