Duval County

ACTION NEWS JAX GETS REAL: Church leaders, officials tackle vaccine skepticism in black community


JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Church leaders, members of Congress, and local officials gathered outside Mt. Olive Primitive Baptist Church in Durkeeville Wednesday to encourage communities of color to take the COVID-19 vaccine.

Rev. R. B. Holmes started his pastoring career in Jacksonville.

He’s now in Tallahassee but came to Jacksonville Wednesday as chair of the COVID-19 Vaccination Community Education and Engagement Taskforce.

He said the group’s goal is to encourage 60% of the black community to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

“There’s a lot of distrust out there because of past history,” he said. “We as leaders will roll up our sleeves and take this vaccine,” Holmes said the virus is disproportionately killing communities of color.

According to the Florida Department of Health, 5,192 black residents have received the vaccine.

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That compares to 40,061 white residents vaccinated and 9,969 with an unknown race.

Black communities are historically skeptical of vaccines, which leaders are trying to tackle.

“We trust the science and the doctors and that’s what we have to do,” former Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown said.

“Understanding the history, embrace it, learn from it. Now we’re a part of something that will save lives.”

The task force will host its inaugural meeting virtually on January 12.

From there, they will develop a plan for outreach.

Holmes called on local healthcare systems to bring clinics to black neighborhoods which he says don’t have equal access to healthcare.

A representative at UF Health was present at Wednesday’s press conference.

“There is going to be an opportunity to work through trust and relationships in our community. The fact we are here today is our physical commitment to support the education outreach.”

The task force is pushing 25 total cities in Florida to work with hospitals and build health clinics in underserved neighborhoods.

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