Local

Vaccine distrust among African Americans

Jacksonville,FL. — Local health leaders want minority communities to consider getting the COVID-19 vaccine when its available.

Specifically, the black community, which has been hit hard in Jacksonville and across the United States.

According to the CDC, blacks die at a rate 2.8 times higher than whites from COVID-19.

Yet, mistrust lingers, and it has been deeply seeded in the African Community for decades. In 1932, a 40-year long experiment began involving black men infected with syphilis. It was known as the Tuskegee study.

Hundreds of men were given no treatment, it was to track the diseases progression, many suffered and even died.

88 years later, the experiment left an imprint on the black community as distrust looms.

The CEO UF Health Jacksonville, Dr. Leon Haley was the first in the State to get the COVID-19 vaccine, as a black man he says he understands the hesitation but wants to reassure people of color.

“I know people have concerns, the African American community which has been devastated by COVID-19, absolutely… this is a way forward, this is a way out…. I want them to know this is safe, this is not another set of research where we are going to be Guinea pigs or subject tests.” Haley said.

Dr. Haley explained UF Health numbers show more blacks have been hospitalized than whites with COVID-19 and at a greater percentage than the African American population in Duval County.

“This is the way to beat the pandemic, this is the way to end a disease that has been destructive to the African American community.” Dr. Haley said.