Updated on January 16, 2021 at 11:36 am
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On Philadelphia s dataset of coronavirus vaccinations, a racial disparity is apparent: about five times more white people than Black people have been vaccinated so far.
And according to Pennsylvania data, nearly 120,000 white people have been vaccinated compared to fewer than 4,000 African Americans, though there are nearly 60,000 vaccinations where the race was listed as unknown.
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A wide majority of the shots administered so far have gone to health care workers, who have been first in line to get the vaccine
Philadelphia s COVID-19 vaccine rollout going smoothly, health commissioner says
WPVI
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PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) Dozens of healthcare workers at Philadelphia s Temple University Hospital received the Pfizer vaccine on Tuesday.
In Philadelphia, a total of 18,366 people have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as of December 29. The shot for me is because my mom, my grandmother and so many other family members have underlying conditions, said Temple Respiratory Therapist Shanti Welch. They re older so I ll make the sacrifice and get the vaccine so I can call them and say, Hey its safe so take it.
In a press conference Tuesday, Dr. Thomas Farley said they ll continue vaccinated healthcare workers and will soon expand the vaccine rollout to congregate health facilities and nursing homes.
Why some Black Americans are skeptical of a COVID-19 vaccine By Zoe Christen Jones Combatting coronavirus vaccine mistrust
COVID-19 has disproportionately ravaged Black communities across America. Black Americans are three times more likely to die from the virus than Whites and more than 48,000 have died since the beginning of the pandemic. But as the U.S. moves closer to approving a coronavirus vaccine, public health officials are working to confront the long history of racism and mistreatment of Black Americans to sell them on a vaccine.
Studies suggest the Black community is less inclined to take the vaccine than any other racial group, according to a Pew Research Center study published this month. Of the 12,648 adults surveyed, only 42% of Black Americans would consider taking the vaccine, compared to 63% of Hispanics, 61% of White adults, and 83% of English-speaking Asian Americans who would.