Should I get the COVID vaccine? New surveys show Black community less willing to receive it
Updated: 11:15 PM EST Dec 11, 2020
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Updated: 11:15 PM EST Dec 11, 2020
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COMMUNITY DOESN’T SEEM TO BE. A NEW SURVEY SHOWING SOME PEOPLE ARE MORE UNSURE THAN OTHERS ABOUT THE COVID-19 VACCINE. ACCORDING TO PEW RESEARCH, WHILE 60% OF AMERICANS SAY THEY'LL TAKE IT, UP FROM 51% A FEW MONTHS AGO, ONLY 42% OF BLACK ADULTS SAY THEY WANT TO. HOWEVER, ANOTHER SURVEY BY THE COVID COLLABORATIVE, SHOWS ONLY 14% OF BLACK AMERICANS MOSTLY OR COMPLETELY TRUST A VACCINE. HELENA: CAN YOU UNDERSTAND WHY SOME PEOPLE ARE SKEPTICAL? >> OH NO QUESTION, I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE ARE SKEPTICAL, THE HISTORY TELLS US WHY. HELENA: RENEE MAHAFFEY HARRIS IS PRESIDENT AND CEO OF CENTER FOR CLOSING THE HEALTH GAP. SHE SAYS FOR DECADES, THE BLACK COMMUNITY HAS BEEN SUBJECT TO HEALTH AND SOCIAL INEQUITIES PREVENTING THEM FROM HAVING FAIR OPPORTUNITIES FOR HEALTH AND BREEDING MISTRUST. TOMORROW, THE NON PROFIT IS HOLDING A VIRTUAL TOWN HALL, HOPING TO BRIDGE THE INFORMATION GAP. >> SO THAT'S OUR GOAL HERE, TO GET INFORMATION FROM TRUSTED RESOURCES AND BLACK PHYSICIANS. BLACK RESEARCHERS, BLACK LEADERS, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE GOOD INFORMED DECISIONS. HELENA: WE ASKED PEOPLE THEIR OPINIONS. >> WOULD YOU TAKE THE VACCINE? >> UM, NO. HELENA: SOME SAY THEY WANT TO. >> I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I DO EVERYTHING ON MY PART TO MAKE SURE I DON'T TRANSMIT IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE. HELENA: OTHERS THINK IT'S RUSHED. >> I THINK I'D RATHER KIND OF JUST WAIT AND SEE HOW THE SIDE EFFECTS AND JUST HOW PEOPLE KIND OF REACT RIGHT NOW. HELENA: KURT PERCY WORKS AT STERLING RESEARCH GROUP. THE CINCINNATI COMPANY TOOK PART IN THE INITIAL PFIZER TRIAL. HE SAYS COLLABORATION BETWEEN SCIENTISTS, GOVERNMENTS, AND RESEARCH SITES ALLOWED THE TRIAL TO MOVE SO QUICKLY. >> THERE'S SO MUCH MORE FOCUS ON THIS, AND IN PART BECAUSE OF THE TRAGIC DEATH TOLL, YOU KNOW? PNEUMONIA, FLU, THOSE ARE IMPORTANT DISEASES TO TACKLE. BUT THEY DON'T KILL 3,000 PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES. HELENA: HE SAYS STERLING RESEARCH GROUP'S PATIENTS WILL BE FOLLOWED FOR TWO YEARS TO TRACK POTENTIAL LONG-TERM SIDE EFFECTS. BUT SO FAR, THE SHORT-TERM SIDE EFFECTS, LIKE FATIGUE, HEADACHE AND FEVER, APPEAR TO BE NORMAL. NOW AGAIN, THE CENTER FOR CLOSING THE HEALTH GAP WILL BE HOLDING THAT TOWN HALL TOMORROW. BUT THEY DO PLAN ON HAVING MORE MEETINGS AND OPEN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE VACCINES MOVING FORW