WAKE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) Wake County said it s making a conscious efforts to make sure historically marginalized communities have the tools they need to navigate this pandemic, especially when it comes to getting vaccinated.
County officials said they are creating partnerships to specifically reach out to some of the most vulnerable communities who have been hit hard by the pandemic.
Since last March, about 500 people from Wake County have died due to complications from COVID-19 and 25 percent of them were African American-even though African Americans only make up 21 percent of the population in Wake County.
That s why the county says they re creating partnerships with Black churches and LatinX groups like El Centro that are trusted within their own communities.
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) While North Carolina officials aim to distribute their limited COVID-19 doses equitably between counties, the ABC11 I-Team uncovered various disparities in the data.
Data from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services shows that Wake County, one of the largest counties in the state, received some of the fewest doses per capita.
The county has received 7.5 doses per every 100 residents, an average that places the county three doses below the state s average (10.6). It s difficult and disappointing to look at those numbers, especially when we know the demand in Wake County is so high, said Stacy Beard, a spokesperson for Wake County.