COVID-19 Vaccine Update 3: Vaccine Mistrust and Hesitancy in Minority Communities

With the COVID-19 vaccine distribution broadening (including people 65 years and older, essential workers, and people with certain comorbid illnesses), more and more racial and ethnic minorities are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Unfortunately, as of February 4 only 49% of blacks planned to get vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, (the virus that causes COVID-19), with only 19% agreeing to the vaccine right away and 31% expressing plans to wait to see what happens to other people before getting vaccinated. 31% of black adults says that will not get the vaccine and another 12% are unsure. While the number are somewhat higher for Latinx people, the numbers of people willing to get the COVID-19 vaccine is lower than that of whites.  Dr. Dial Hewlett, Medical Director-Division of Disease Control, and Deputy to the Commissioner of Health at Westchester County Department of Health and Dr. Adam Aponte, Chief Medical Officer at the East Harlem Council for Human Serivces and the Boriken Neighborhood Neighborhood Health Center joined the Health In Harlem Team to discuss the issues surrounding mistrust of the COVID-19 vaccines in minority communities and why it is imperative that the people in these communities consider getting vaccinated. Please check out the links below for more information and don't be afraid to share what you learn form this program.    Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer Website: Everything I've heard About: Testing and vaccines https://www.manhattanbp.nyc.gov/testing-and-vaccines/ New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene: COVID-19 Vaccines https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/covid/covid-19-vaccines.page New York City COVID-19 Vaccine Finder https://vaccinefinder.nyc.gov/