Bringing immunity to the community
By Karina Patel, a Fellow at the Tubman Center for Health & Freedom
Our Blaxinate! campaign aims to reduce COVID-19 vaccine uptake disparities in the Black community by bringing the vaccine to the people.
On June 30, the State of Washington lifted COVID-19 restrictions, allowing businesses and organizations to operate without capacity limits or physical distancing requirements. In addition, the mask directive has also been lifted, allowing fully vaccinated people to resume activities without wearing a mask, except where required.
These shifts in policy come after government officials across the country have been presenting a benchmark of 70% of adults needing to get at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine before reopening. However, a closer look shows that our most marginalized and therefore, at-risk communities were not even close to this benchmark when COVID-19 restrictions were lifted.
According to the Washington State Department of Health COVID-19 Data Dashboard, as of July 13, 69.8% of residents over the age of 16 have initiated COVID-19 vaccination. In King County, 80.5% of residents over the age of 16 have received at least one dose.
While these numbers seem promising and have allowed for reopening, disaggregated data tells a different story. Large clusters of Washington State and King County residents, particularly Black and Hispanic communities, remain unvaccinated and unprotected.
In King County, the Hispanic community is projected to reach 70% full vaccination on October 4. With the lowest rate of vaccination in King County, 58%, the Black community is projected to reach 70% full vaccination on October 12—more than three months after the county has reopened. We know that Black communities in Pierce county are even trailing behind this.
Although the concept of vaccine hesitancy within the Black community has been frequently discussed, little has been done to productively engage our community by holding space to answer questions, address concerns, and make information about the COVID-19 vaccine accessible to the people.
Vaccine hesitancy and medical distrust in the Black community are justified, as they are direct results of the medical establishment’s unethical research, exploitation, mistreatment, and discrimination. While vaccine hesitancy is present within our community, the blame for continued transmission of COVID-19 should not be placed back on us. Rather, we deserve safe spaces tailored to the needs of vaccine curious and cautious community members. We deserve accurate science and public health information which will empower us to make decisions that we believe are best for our health, the health of our families, and the health of our community.
As an organization committed to actualizing our values, the Tubman Center for Health and Freedom decided to bring #MedicineToThePeople. Our Blaxinate! campaign focuses on increasing the uptake of vaccines among our Black communities by providing accurate information, answering questions, and providing VIP vaccine experiences that make people want to take part.
On Saturdays from May 28 to November 28, the Tubman Center is hosting vaccination events tailored to the unique needs of the Black community. Medical translation will be provided for the prevalent languages in the area. In addition, hypnotherapy and guided meditation will be available for those who are fearful or simply want support through the process.
The Blaxinate! campaign also mobilizes community members as canvassers to reach out and hold open, honest, and respectful conversations about the science and politics of the COVID-19 vaccine.
See below for upcoming Blaxinate! events in the Puget Sound area:
