Organizations push for more vaccination events in Black communities
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Updated: 8:47 PM EDT Mar 31, 2021
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Updated: 8:47 PM EDT Mar 31, 2021
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HEALTH DEPARTMENT DELIVERED WITH SEVERAL CLINICS AT THE MIDTOWN CULTURAL AND EDUCATION CENTE >> I WAS SCARED TO GET THE SHOT, BUT I’M SCARDER OF COVID THAN I AM THE SHOT. CLAIRE: DEBRA FRAZIER WAS AMONG DOZENS OF PEOPLE VACCINATED AGAINST COVID. SOMETHING SHE WAS A BIT RELUCTANT TO DO, BUT FRAZIER DECIDED IT JUST MAKES SENSE SINCE THE CLINIC IS LOCATED IN HER PREDOMINATELY AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY. >> THEY SAID BLACK PEOPLE GET IT MORE, SO I THINK EVERYBODY IN MY COMMUNITY SHOULD GET IT. CLAIRE: AND TO MAKE IT THIS CONVENIENT HELPS? >> YES. IT HELPS A LOT. IT HELPED ME. CLAIRE: SEVERAL LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN WORKING TO RAISE COVID AWARENESS AMONG MINORITY POPULATIONS AND CREATE EASY ACCESS FOR PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE. PASTOR DERRICK HARRIS, WITH THE BLACK CLERGY ALLIANCE, IS NOT ONLY AN OUTSPOKEN ADVOCATE, HE LEAD BY EXAMPLE, GETTING VACCINATED HIMSELF. >> WE HAD A GROUND ROOTS EFFORT RIGHT THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY TO GO AHEAD AND ALSO ENCOURAGED OTHERS WHO MAY HAVE BEEN SKEPTICAL ABOUT COMING TO GET VACCINATED. CLAIRE: COUNTY OFFICIALS HAD 300 AVAILABLE DOSES HERE AND THEY WILL HOLD ANOTHER EVENT NEXT WEEK. >> I WANT TO MAKE SURE I AM PROTECTED. CLAIRE: KEITH WILLIS IS THE CITY’S LEISURE SERVICES DIRECTOR AND KNOWS MANY OF THE FOLKS WHO REGULARLY COME TO THIS CENTER FOR OTHER ACTIVITIES HE SAYS ITS MIDTOWN LOCATION AS A VACCINATION SITE IN THE HEART OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY IS KEY. >> A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN’T DRIVE AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON’T DRIVE, SO IT’S IN WALKING DISTANCE. CLAIRE: THE FOLKS AT THIS CLINIC SAY THEY WERE PARTICULARLY LUCKY. THEY WERE ADMINISTERED THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON VACCINE. HAPPY TO BE ONE AND DONE. IN DAYTONA BEACH, VOLUSIA COUNTY, CLAIRE METZ, WESH 2 NEWS.