Health Team

Grab a plate and a shot: Barbecue bash in Durham encouraging people to receive COVID-19 vaccine

To help get vaccination rates up in Durham, a vaccine clinic and barbecue bash was set up on Saturday to convince people to get vaccinated.

Posted Updated

By
Rosalia Fodera
, WRAL multimedia journalist
DURHAM, N.C. — With coronavirus cases spiking, health experts are encouraging more people to get vaccinated. According to the latest data from the state Department of Health and Human Services, 61 percent of people in the state have been vaccinated.

To help get vaccination rates up in Durham, a vaccine clinic and barbecue bash was set up on Saturday to convince people to get vaccinated.

Event organizers said the event focused on reaching people somewhere they're comfortable, can have questions answered by doctors and enjoy barbecue.

"[We're] coming out here for a barbecue competition, bring my son out for Labor Day weekend and I end up getting vaccinated," said attendee Asia Richards.

Richards said she came for the food and left a little safer from COVID-19. That was the hope for this vaccine clinic, according to organizers.

"We're reaching people where they comfortable [and] coming right where they are to allow them the opportunity to get the vaccine," said Dr. Mary Braithwaite, with Chapel Hill Pediatrics. "The people that we're reaching right now are the ones who are more hesitant."

The BBQ bash was put on by Mike D’s BBQ.

“I am very excited to bring this event to East Durham. It also marks the 1-year anniversary of Mike D’s BBQ opening a BBQ Supply and General Store here. I wanted to bring an event here to celebrate this and all the other great things happening in East Durham. I am excited to help showcase what we have to offer in this section of Durham,” Michael De Los Santos, Owner of Mike D’s BBQ, said.

He added that having an opportunity for the community to be vaccinated while serving up BBQ made the event that much more impactful.

"I am very glad that the doctors were out doing vaccinations, this is very important work as we are reminded daily of the impacts COVID is still having on our communities,” De Los Santos said.

Organizers said the east Durham neighborhood around Driver Street has lower vaccination rates and a higher number of coronavirus cases.

"We have doctors of color that will be here today, and we hope that being able to talk to someone that have a similar lived experience will help folks make that decision to get vaccinated," said event organizer Donald Hughes.

Richards said getting information from a doctor made it an easy decisions.

"Instead of doing your research, talk to your doctor, talk to somebody about each and every vaccination, but it's not scary," she said.

Eleven people were vaccinated, according to event organizers, and people who received the first dose of the vaccine received a $100 cash card.

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