Despite working in health care, Vince Ford was wary of the COVID-19 shot.
Months of following the research and development of the vaccine – and realizing without it, holidays with his out-of-state kids wouldn’t happen – moved the needle.
Now, during COVID-19 vaccine education sessions, Ford remembers his own skepticism of the shot to relate to people in his community and address their concerns.
Ford is senior vice president of Community Health Services at Prisma Health in South Carolina, where Black residents like him make up more than a quarter of the population, but only 19% of vaccinations, according to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation analysis. In contrast, white residents make up 67% of the population and 64% of those vaccinated, state data as of April 28 shows.
NIH to invest $29 million to address COVID-19 disparities
To bolster research to help communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19, the National Institutes of Health is funding $29 million in additional grants for the NIH Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) Against COVID-19 Disparities. This funding was supported by the American Rescue Plan. The awards will provide $15 million to 11 teams already conducting research and outreach to help strengthen COVID-19 vaccine confidence and access, as well as testing and treatment, in communities of color. An additional $14 million will fund 10 new research teams to extend the reach of COVID-19 community-engaged research and outreach.
“The goal of this effort is to foster community-engagement research in communities which have been hit hardest by the pandemic,” said Gary H. Gibbons, M.D., director, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). “The alliance is designed to meet people where they are with the help of trusted m
Governor Vaccine Progress Means New Mexico Can Open Soon -
By Susan Montoya Bryan, Associated Press
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Wednesday said she expects New Mexico to reopen completely by the end of June if the state reaches its goal of having at least 60% of residents fully vaccinated by then.
She made the announcement during a virtual briefing, proclaiming that the state was “conquering COVID.”
Lujan Grisham and state health officials said the state s pace of vaccinations has been as an overwhelming driver for the progress seen in recent months, with more than 60 people vaccinated for every new case of COVID-19 reported.
Governor: Vaccine progress means New Mexico can open soon apnews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from apnews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Governor: Vaccine progress means New Mexico can open soon apnews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from apnews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.