Barriers to COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake Among Black Communities

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as of June 16th, 2021, anyone who is 12 years and older is eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. This seems like wonderful news. Well, not quite… Although the U.S. has come a long way to make the COVID-19 vaccine more accessible, the African American and African Immigrant communities are still facing recurring obstacles. Just because someone meets the age requirement doesn’t mean they immediately go and get the vaccine. This is evidenced by the alarmingly low vaccination rates among African Americans and African Immigrant communities.

One of the major barriers causing vaccine hesitancy among minority groups is a lack of trust in the system. This high level of mistrust among racial and ethnic minority groups is, to an extent, due to concerns about the side effects and the long-term effects of these vaccines on their general health. Such concerns are made worse by widespread myths and misinformation about the vaccine. This is why it’s important to engage communities through community outreaches and other innovative approaches to educate and inform community members on the importance of vaccination. Through the CDC-Foundation funded project, we are working to increase COVID-19 vaccine knowledge, confidence and uptake among African immigrant communities.

Although the lack of trust is a deterrent, there are many households that want to take the vaccine but are held back by several challenges. Incidentally, the emergence of COVID-19 exposed the high level of inequities that exists among racial/ethnic minorities such as African immigrant populations. To get a vaccine through a medical center or locations like a pharmacy, one must have their identification and/or insurance card to make an appointment. Presenting ID may be difficult for some people of color (POC), including immigration status obstacles. In addition, some POC, including those who are a part of the Black community, do not have health insurance. To ensure these communities are not left behind, AWCAA is collaborating with health institutions such as Howard University Hospital and government agencies like Prince George’s County to bring vaccination services to the communities without asking for any ID.

Another key challenge is lack of appropriate information. For example, in a county in Ohio, African Americans make up 30% of the population. However, only nine percent have been vaccinated, even with access to mass vaccination sites This points to the possibility that the problem is not with availability, but with a lack of information. Most of the news about the vaccine only covers the requirements to receiving the vaccine and the places you can go. They do not promote mass pop-up sites, or in some cases provide detailed information on where and how to book an appointment. To solve the problem of lack of appropriate information, AWCAA is not just carrying out community outreaches (virtual and in-person), but we are also developing culturally and linguistically appropriate communication materials to make our community outreaches effective. These materials are translated into African languages to break the language barrier that exist in our community.

The last challenge is transportation to vaccination sites. In 2019 about nine percent of US households did not own a vehicle. That data is per household, which disregards each individual in that house. Not everyone has a personal vehicle or a family member available to take them to and from their vaccination appointments. This is why mass vaccination programs are a life saver as they are usually at public locations such as schools, grocery stores, and retail stores like Walmart. These locations are easily accessible by public transportation. For example, a Silver Spring resident can take the 111-Silver Spring bus to the University of Maryland campus during one of their mass vaccine events. Also, by facilitating and bringing vaccination services to African immigrant communities through our partnerships with Howard University Hospital and Prince George’s County, we are also breaking the barriers of transportation that may limit some people from taking the vaccine.

Whether you are carpooling or taking the bus, make your way to a mass vaccine site. Don’t allow the daunting requirements of the CDC to stop you from protecting yourself from the coronavirus. You can find a site near you at https://www.vaccines.gov/

References:

Feldman, Nina. “Why Black And Latino People Still Lag On COVID Vaccines – And How To Fix It.” NPR, NPR, 26 Apr. 2021, www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/04/26/989962041/why-black-and-latino-people-still-lag-on-covid-vaccines-and-how-to-fix-it.

Lewis, Tanya. “The Biggest Barriers to COVID Vaccination for Black and Latinx People.” Scientific American, Scientific American, 24 Mar. 2021, www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-biggest-barriers-to-covid-vaccination-for-black-and-latinx-people1/.

Peterson, Bailey. “Car Ownership Statistics (2021 Report).” ValuePenguin, ValuePenguin, 29 June 2021, www.valuepenguin.com/auto-insurance/car-ownership-statistics.

Staff, WKYC. “Wolstein Center Vaccine Clinic Treating Disproportionately Low Number of Black, Minority Patients.” Wkyc.com, WKYC, 10 Apr. 2021, www.wkyc.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/vaccine/wolstein-center-vaccine-disproportionately-low-black-minorities/95-5f0324dd-8bb9-4709-acaf-2b6f5710eda3.

https://www.vaccines.gov/

By Ashani Ross and Chris Chukwunyere