Racism in health care will also be considered when the COVID-19 vaccine arrives.Herd immunity depends on the trust of black people

When the first COVID-19 vaccine arrives at the hospital on Monday, the United States faces racism in healthcare. This is a history that could bring the worst pandemic end of the century.

How do you persuade black Americans to participate in the largest vaccination campaign in US history when elders remember? Tuskegee experiment And young people grew up in Healthcare desert, Are keenly aware of them Get lower quality medical care than whites??

It was a question posed by Illinois authorities and black community leaders at a roundtable on how to overcome this distrust that could hinder the country’s goals. Immunize 3 out of 4 Americans to achieve herd immunity.

“We have a very clear understanding of the distrust and anxiety of the African-American community. We know where this comes from,” he said. US Congressman Bobby Rush (Illinois) was convened by Senator Tammy Duckworth (Illinois) at a virtual rally on Friday.

“It started before Tuskegee, but Tuskegee brought it to the forefront, creating a situation where medical professionals had to admit that these tests were done on Tuskegee, and apologized. There was no real solution to these problems and nothing to remedy the ongoing mistrust, “Rush said.

“Now we are at the stage where we must get this participation of citizens from all demographic roots and we must address this issue in terms of building trust.”

M. Spencer Green / AP File Photo

Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine Delivery Started on sunday — We believed that 300,000 bullets were more than 90% effective against the disease that killed more than 300,000 Americans.

By spring, it will be given first to health care workers and residents of nursing homes, then to essential workers, the elderly, and high-risk people in front of the general public. Experts say 75% are vaccinated and the United States may reach herd immunity by the end of summer.

“Our local survey suggests that black Chicago citizens and black healthcare professionals are unlikely to want to receive the vaccine, as was seen nationwide,” said Chicago Public Health. Dr. Alison Alwadi, Director General, said. .. “So speaking is absolutely important.”

Pat Navon / Sun Times

That distrust by blacks, Twice as many whites die of coronavirus, Appear historically There is little black participation in medical research. Therefore, promoting the important properties of the new vaccine to the black community means relying on “trustworthy messengers” such as black doctors, community groups and churches.

“Healthcare workers were first attacked, so they should help make the claim,” said Rev. Jesse Jackson, founder / president of Rainbow Push. “If you have black and Latin doctors on TV and you’re filming saying why they trust it, we’ll get rid of some of these reasonable doubts pretty quickly.”

“In this situation, the Tuskiggy experiment cannot be used as a crutch,” Jackson said. We are beyond that now. There are 62 blacks in Congress.We have a duty to tell It story. “

Ashlee Rezin Garcia / Sun-Times File Photo

A leader like Jackson has a similar effect, according to Duckworth. CDPH and the Illinois Public Health Service are also planning to use social media influencers to spread the message to their communities.

“Our black group from across Illinois can be seen by everyone because we all talked about doing it together,” said US Congressman Robin Kelly, Democrat. ) Said.

“But sometimes we get into strange situations. Some people will say,” Oh, they got it first. ” On the other hand, some say, “Oh, they’re telling us to take it, but they’re not taking it.” “

Marketing to the black community must also be done in a culturally sensitive way.

“We have to do this right. Time is important, but we can’t force people. Like all kinds of changes, early adopters, late adapters, middle-aged people, and never hire. There are people. We have to respect it, “said Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of lDPH.

“We will work with those who are willing to undertake this, and they will need proper education and support.”

With the more deadly second wave grip of the pandemic, Illinois now accounts for nearly 5% of all coronavirus deaths in the United States. Infection and mortality in the color community speaks to the need for a huge new dollar for vaccine marketing.

Anthony Vazquez / Sun-Times File Photo

But there is hope.

“UIC’s Moderna trial here had 75% of non-white participants, which is very rare and good news for Chicago,” Alwadi said. “We are currently focusing on the black and Latin communities and doing some message testing, thinking about how to recognize some of this past history, but very frankly. , Talk about the science of this vaccine. “

Its messaging also addresses the potential for criminal elements to prey on vulnerabilities.

“Everyone needs to know that they are soliciting Any Some kind of money, even if it’s an administration fee, isn’t legal. The vaccine is free, “says Ezike. “You don’t have to bring anything to prove that you’re a citizen or a resident of Illinois. We’re vaccinations for everyone who presents. People know it from the beginning. is needed.”