African-American pastors get COVID-19 shot

SIMMONS IS LIVE AT FIVE INJACKSON WITH MORE ON THAT.

NEW HOPE BAPTIST CHURCH WASTHE SITE OF A VACCINEDISTRIBUTION WITH BLACKPASTORS FROM ACROSS THESTATE HOPING TO ENCOURAGEMORE MINORITIES TO GET THESHOT.AND THEY MADE THAT POINT BYGETTING THE SHOTTHEMSELVES.

THE GROUP FELLINTO THE HEALTH CARECRITERIA FOR VACCINESHOTS.THEY ADMIT THE PROBLEM ISWIDESPREAD IN THE AFRICANAMERICAN COMMUNITY THATSOME OTHER EITHER AREAFRAID TO GET THE SHOT ORCAN'T GET TO ONE.THIS IS A STATE WITH A 38PERCENT AFRICAN AMERICANPOPULATION BUT ACCOUNT FORONLY 19 PERCENT OF THEVACCINE SHOTS GIVEN SO FAR.<DR. JERRY YOUNG NEW HOPEBAPTIST CHURCH: I THINK ITHAS BEEN FOR SURE I THINK ITHAS BEEN BECAUSE OF OURPERSONAL ATTITUDESBECAUSE OF HISTORY...BUTNOW I BELIEVE THE ATTITUDEHAS CHANGED AND HAS BECOMEMUCH MORE A PROBLEM OFACCESS THAN AVAILABILITY.<DR. THOMAS DOBBS/STATEMEDICAL OFFICER: WE KNOWTHAT AFRICAN AMERICANSHAVE A HGHER MORTAILITYRATE AND ARE GETING LESSVACCINE BASED ON THE NUMBEROF BLACK FOLKS WE HAVE IN OURSTATE.

IT ALSO SPEAKS TOMISSISSIPPI MEDICAL ANDTHE STATE HEALTHDEPARTMENT THAT WE REACHPEOPLE WITH COVID VACCINE.THE STATE IS STILLSTRUGGLING WITH VACCINEACCESS,.

IT RECENTLY WASPROMISED ABOUT 16 PERCENTMORE DOSES ...SOME WHERENORTH OF 42-THOUSAND DOSESA WEEK...COMING UP AT SIX, WE'LL LOOKCLOSER AT VACCINE SUPPLYAND WHAT IS BEING DONE TO GETIT TO MORE IN THE AFRI