Vax Up, Philly Live Chat hosted by 6abc's Sharrie Williams

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- With the delta variant leading to a surge in cases around the state, Philadelphia health officials are trying to encourage more people to get vaccinated to reduce the spread of Covid-19.

6abc is partnering with the City's Vax Up Philly campaign to host a live Facebook chat, Aug. 12 at Noon on the Action News page.

Action News Anchor Sharrie Williams will moderate the chat with Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Cheryl Bettigole and other doctors as Philadelphia pushes for more people to get vaccinated.

If you've decided NOT to get vaccinated for whatever reason, the panel wants to answer your questions and address your concerns.

Dr. Delana Wardlaw, Philadelphia native, is a board-certified family medicine physician with over 20 years of medical experience. She received her undergraduate degree from Temple University and her medical degree from Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine. Dr. Wardlaw currently practices at Temple Physicians of Nicetown where she is dedicated to providing quality health care to multigenerational families and community outreach.

For her tremendous commitment, Dr. Wardlaw was awarded the 2020 Pennsylvania Family Physician of the Year Award.

Dr. Wardlaw is also one half of Twin Sister Docs, created with her identical twin sister to promote health, wellness and self-advocacy. As health care advocates, motivational speakers, medical consultants and mentors they use various local, regional and national platforms to address health care disparities. Their mission is to provide culturally sensitive, accurate medical information using the 3Ts, Trusted messengers that Translates to action, leading to Transformational outcomes.

Dr. Wardlaw is a member of the Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians, Pennsylvania Medical Society and the American Academy of Family Physicians. Her most significant accomplishment is being a wife and mother of a set of twins.

Elana McDonald, MD, FAAP, is a board-certified general pediatrician in Philadelphia. She is a native of Philadelphia, raised in the Strawberry Mansion section of North Philadelphia. She is a graduate of Central High's 251st class. Dr. McDonald graduated from Temple University's Honors Program, magnum cum laude, with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology. She received her Doctor of Medicine degree from the Pennsylvania State College of Medicine in Hershey. She completed a 3-year pediatric residency at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia in 2003.

Dr. McDonald has dedicated her career to providing compassionate, quality care to underserved populations from birth to 21 years. She is the owner and chief medical officer of Memphis Street Pediatrics, Pizzica Pediatrics, and Castor Pediatrics in Philadelphia. Dr. McDonald also serves as the medical advisor to the school nurses at several charter schools in the Philadelphia area. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and a member of the Medical Society of Eastern Pennsylvania, and the Philadelphia County Medical Society.

Dr. McDonald is one-half of Twin Sister Docs, LLC. She created Twin Sister Docs, with her identical twin sister, Dr. Delana Wardlaw, to promote healthcare advocacy in underserved populations. Their mission is described by 3Ts; trusted messengers, providing accurate, culturally sensitive, information, that empowers people to take action to improve their health, leading to transformational outcomes. Twin Sister Docs serve as medical consultants, media consultants, and mentors.

She is the proud mother of two sons and wife. Dr. McDonald is an avid runner and loves to travel.