Durham organizations aim to help vaccine disparity in minority communities
Reserved vaccines are getting sent across the state to make sure they get in the arms of people living in underserved areas.
Posted — UpdatedHowever, Black and Brown communities are still falling behind in vaccinations.
Dozens of zip codes on the map are getting what are called ‘equity doses.' Now, a local nonprofit is making sure the community has the access it needs to the COVID-19 vaccine.
Raleigh resident Tami Talmadge admits that at first, she wasn't too enthusiastic about receiving the vaccine.
“When I first heard about the vaccine, I will be very honest, I was not in favor,” Talmadge said.
Building vaccine confidence in the Black community is a difficult task.
“I was like, 'No that’s not gonna happen for me,'" she said. "I’m not doing it." Talmadge says she didn't change her mind until speaking with her doctor.
With education and more resources, some people are coming around. But, hesitancy isn’t the only challenge.
The 'boots on the ground' approach is what Donald Hughes says it’s going to take. He’s a member of the W.A.R.4. Life organization that sends community health workers out in hard to reach areas, to help schedule appointments and provide rides to vaccine sites.
Hughes says the key is to convince community members that it's safe.
“We know that with this rollout we have to be strategic, and sometimes we can’t wait for people to come to us to get the vaccine," Hughes said. "We have to take the vaccine directly to the community.”
Hughes says convenience is also key.
"We can ensure that it’s going to get to the people that need it the most, and not have to worry as much about people taking vacations to our state to get the vaccine or traveling hundreds of miles to get it, because they have the privilege of doing so."
Of those who have received the first dose, only 15.9% are Black and 2.76% are Hispanic. Whereas nearly 77% are White.
W.A.R.4 Life founder Jason Wilson says that delays aren't helping.
“We’ve seen delays in vaccines being shipped to certain places, vaccines being shipped to places folks can’t reach," Wilson says.
The organization recently launched a digital campaign called ‘FactsNotFearNC’ to continue fighting the disparities and to dispel myths.
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