GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — There’s a local effort to get the COVID-19 vaccine to minority communities.
State and national health agencies say that COVID-19 disproportionately affects people of color. On Thursday, leaders from minority communities in Brown County spoke.
“Black, Latinx and Native American communities have had higher cases, higher hospitalizations and higher rates of death from COVID-19 that have to do a lot with underlying conditions,” Shiva Bidar-Sielaff said. “It really has to do with a long history of structural and systemic racism and barriers to optimal care.”
In Northeast Wisconsin, state Department of Health Services data shows vaccination rates in communities of color lag behind those of white residents.
Oneida Nation has been using social media and mailings to inform members about vaccines.
“Our tribal members live work and play in communities beyond the reservation. Our partnerships with neighboring communities promote healthy and safe environment, has been an important strategy in protecting every one of us,” Oneida Nation Vice Chairman Brandon Yellowbird-Stevens said.
Sabrina Robins is a board member for African Heritage. She says the organization will bring vaccines to community members.
“We are going to treat this like a full blown campaign and start going neighborhood to neighborhood, person to person, not waiting for them to come to us,” Robins said.
Elizabeth Kostichka is the Hispanic vaccine coordinator at Casa ALBA Melanie.
“There has been a large number of Hispanics that have been hesitant because they have no documents, and we have been able to tell them that this is at no cost to them, no immigration status is needed,” Kostichka said.
Leaders from the Hmong and Somali communities were also in attendance. Both said they’re working with health partners to increase access to the vaccine.
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