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New COVID-19 Vaccine Resource Honors Skepticism among Black
Americans
By LaTroya Hester, The Center for Black Health & Equity
Guest Column
For critically important reasons, there is a national push
to persuade hesitant African Americans to become vaccinated
against the virus that causes COVID-19. Miracles of modern
science, the two FDA-authorized vaccines have arrived with
the promise of delivering us from the grip of the pandemic.
Yet, for a community whose trust is so often met with
betrayal, there is no wonder why some African Americans have
embraced the vaccines with skepticism, hesitancy, and six
feet of distance. Although this “Tuskegee effect” is a
current hot topic, references to medical mistrust are often
discussed with a shoulder shrug and a follow-up call to move
on from relics of the past. But this matter of history must
not be taken lightly because not all expressions of racism
are created equal.
Racism that manifests through medical bias and malpractice
are distinct from other forms of racism because the
injustice is inflicted directly onto Black and Brown bodies.
Whether categorized as hate, indifference, or unconscious
bias, such forms of social harm—put plainly—are more akin to
lynching than the weighty oppression of economic
disadvantage or the inconvenience of microaggressions. So,
we must take seriously all side-eyes given to new medical
interventions claiming to save the day. For many Black and
Brown Americans, this kind of suspicion is a front-line,
protective measure.
Kizzmekia Corbett, PhD, an African American immunologist who
led the coronavirus vaccines and immunopathogenesis team,
stated it in best on CNN. She said:
You’ve earned the right to ask the questions that you have
around these vaccines and this vaccine development process.
Trust–especially when it has been stripped from people–has
to be rebuilt in a brick-by-brick fashion. I’m going to do
my part in laying those bricks.
In most cases, suspicion should be honored. It drives people
to ask questions, research, and seek the information they
need to make the best decisions for their health. The
newest resource for understanding the COVID-19 vaccines,
Better For It,
was designed with this in mind. The downloadable guide,
developed by The Center for Black Health & Equity in partnership
with American Lung Association, invites African Americans to
lean into skepticism and learn more about how the COVID-19
vaccines work. Most importantly, the resource answers the
question lingering in everyone’s mind: How were these
vaccines developed so quickly, and can I trust them?
Decisions about health, immunization, and new vaccines
should never be unduly rushed without thorough
investigation. The good news is that the information is
available. While the
Better For It toolkit
does not urge readers to take the vaccines, it does provide
the information needed to further conversations about it and
move readers toward making their own decision.
The toolkit may be used to supplement one’s own research on
the vaccines, share accurate information on social media,
and get to know the contributions of African American
scientists and public health advocates who are helping to
bring this pandemic to an end.
The Better For It toolkit
also contains resources, Q&A, and links to COVID-19 webinars
hosted by African American civic leaders.
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