Press

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If Jacob Sarrel ’21 gets his wish, his current marketing campaign will end very soon. Sarrel, a business administration major and member of Muhlenberg’s men’s lacrosse team, lost his father to COVID-19 last April. Louis Sarrel had been undergoing treatment for lymphoma and was in remission when he succumbed to COVID just days after his 58th birthday.

One of the thousands of New Jersey families directly impacted by a COVID-19 death has launched a social media campaign to honor those lost and keep others alive by promoting vaccines.

Because of his status as a healthcare worker, Steven Arsht, an orthopedic surgeon at Mount Sinai Health System in New York City, was the first in his family to get a COVID-19 vaccine. As he moved forward in line in January, he found himself thinking of his brother-in-law, Louis Sarrel, who died of the disease last spring. After receiving his vaccination, Arsht texted a selfie to his family. “Louis and I usually took tequila shots together,” he wrote. “I really wish he had been here to take this shot with me, too.”

Newswise — (New York, NY – February 16, 2021) – The Mount Sinai Health System is joining medical centers across the United States in a grassroots effort to encourage public participation in vaccinations against COVID-19. The vaccination challenge known as “This Jab’s For You” will also honor the lives lost during the global pandemic and the countless health care workers, families, and loved ones who have been impacted by the spread of the disease.

LIVINGSTON, NJ — Dr. Steven Arsht, a Livingston resident and orthopedic surgeon at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, was so overcome with emotion when he received his first COVID-19 vaccination that it led to the establishment of a new social media campaign intended to encourage others to get vaccinated while also honoring those lost to or otherwise affected by the novel coronavirus.

That's the premise behind This Jab's For You, a campaign spearheaded by Steven Arsht, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at New York City’s Mount Sinai, in honor of his brother-in-law, who died from COVID-19 in April 2020. The site encourages people to get vaccinations in honor of the people they love, or in memory of someone they know who died from COVID. 

ROXBURY, NJ – With help from her family, a Roxbury teacher who lost her husband to COVID-19 is spearheading a campaign that urges people to get vaccinated in honor of someone, or something, they care about.

This Jab’s For You: NJ Family Encourages COVID-19 Vaccination in Memory of Those Affected Dr. Steven Arsht and his wife, Marla, have launched a campaign to promote COVID-19 vaccination while honoring those lost to and deeply affected by the infection. Dr. Arsht, whose family has roots in Rockaway Township, started this initiative in memory of his brother-in law, Louis Sarrel , who succumbed to the effects of COVID-19 and passed away just after his 58th birthday in April 2020. 

We are joined by COVID loss advocates Sabila Khan & Marla Sarrel on creating community and purpose in the midst of grief. Sabila co-moderates the COVID-19 LOSS SUPPORT FOR FAMILY & FRIENDS Facebook group, which she started after her beloved father's death. The group has supported thousands of grievers during the pandemic. Marla created the #thisjabsforyou campaign to encourage getting vaccinated in memory or honor of someone they love. Marla's husband died early in the pandemic, and she sees this as a way to honor him.