>> Renee: EVEN AS MORE AND MORE

KENTUCKIANS GET VACCINATED

AGAINST COVID-19, THERE IS STILL

SOME HESITANCY.

WE TALK WITH THOSE ON THE FRONT

LINES AND ENCOURAGING AND/OR

ADMINISTERING VACCINES,

ESPECIALLY IN THE THE HISPANIC

AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN

COMMUNITIES.

THAT'S NOW ON CONNECTIONS.

>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR

CONNECTIONS TODAY.

I'M RENEE SHAW.

AS OF MID APRIL, ABOUT 50% OF

KENTUCKY KENTUCKY ADULTS HAD

RECEIVED AT LEAST ONE DOSE OF

THE COVID-19 VACCINE.

VACCINATION RATES THOUGH FOR THE

STATE'S HISPANIC COMMUNITY HAVE

REMAINED LOW.

MARCH DATA FROM THE LEXINGTON

HEALTH DEPARTMENT SHOWED THAT

LESS THAN 3% OF LEXINGTON'S

HISPANICS HAD BEEN VACCINATED.

THE LEXINGTON FAYETTE COUNTY

HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS TEAMED UP

WITH GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS

AND MEDIA OUTLETS TO FIGHT

DISINFORMATION ABOUT THE VACCINE

IN HISPANIC COMMUNITIES.

WE SPOKE TO DIFFERENT COMMUNITY

LEADERS WHO ARE WORKING DIRECTLY

WITH NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING

COMMUNITIES ABOUT SOME OF THE

ROOT FACTORS BEHIND VACCINE

HESITANCY IN LEXINGTON'S

HISPANIC COMMUNITIES.

GABRIELLA MARTINEZ TELLS US

MORE.

>> WE ARE FIGHTING A BATTLE

BECAUSE WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH

THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY IS THAT

WE ARE PRETTY MUCH GOING AGAINST

FACEBOOK RIGHT NOW.

>> HEALTH EDUCATOR AT THE

LEXINGTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS

BECOME ONE OF THE MAIN POINT

PEOPLE FOR VACCINE INFORMATION

FOR LEXINGTON'S HISPANIC

COMMUNITY.

>> PEOPLE ARE GETTING A LOT OF

THEIR INFORMATION FROM SOCIAL

MEDIA AND THERE ARE A LOT OF

DOCTORS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES,

EXPERTS SAYING THINGS THAT GO

AGAINST WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO

ACCOMPLISH HERE AND THEN ONE

THING PEOPLE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND,

THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY ONLY IN

SPANISH THROUGH THEIR PHONES IS

WHERE THEY GET MOST OF THEIR

INFORMATION.

AND ONE OF THE BATTLES WE ARE

HAVING TO FIGHT IS LIKE THEY SEE

THIS VIDEOS AND INFORMATION AND

THEN SOMETIMES THEY HAVE AN

APPOINTMENT TO GET THEIR VACCINE

AND THEY CANCEL IT.

ONE OF THE THINGS THE HEALTH

DEPARTMENT HAS DONE, WE HAVE

MADE SURE TO TRANSLATE ALL OUR

INFORMATION IN SPANISH WHETHER

IT'S OUR WEBSITE OR FLYERS SINCE

THE BEGINNING.

WE ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD

BILINGUAL STAFF WORKING IN

CONTACT TRACING, IN LOGISTICS TO

DO THE PART.

WE HAVE A LOT OF HISPANICS THAT

ARE ESSENTIAL WORKERS.

THEY'RE THE ONES WHO DO YOUR

SERVICE INDUSTRY OR FACTORIES OR

GROCERIES OR THE FOOD CHAIN AND,

YOU KNOW, AT THE BEGINNING OF

THE PANDEMIC, IT WAS SOMETHING

THAT WAS REALLY AFFECTING OUR

HISPANIC COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY

HAVE TO GO TO WORK.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE LUXURY TO

STAY HOME AND TELEWORK AND

THAT'S WHY WE SAW SUCH A BIG

INCREASE OR DISPARITY IN THE

CASES OF HISPANIC COMMUNITIES, 6

TO 7% OF THE POPULATION OF

LEXINGTON BUT 28% OF ALL THE

CASES.

THAT WAS BECAUSE THE TYPE OF JOB

THAT THEY HAD.

>> DEE ANA IS ONE OF THE

BILINGUAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT

VOLUNTEERS HELPING VACCINATE

VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.

>> I STARTED VOLUME VOLUNTEERING

BECAUSE WHEN THE GOVERNOR PASSED

THE EMERGENCY ALERT FOR

EVERYBODY TO, IN THE HEALTHCARE

COMMUNITY TO HELP OUT, I'M A

DENTAL HYGIENIST, SO THE

KENTUCKY BOARD OF DENTISTRY

EXPANDED THE SCOPE OF PRACTICE

FOR THE HIGH GENERAL--

HYGIENISTS WHO CAN APPLIANCE

THESIA TO APPLY TO VOLUNTEER.

I STARTED NOTICING THE BIG HELP

THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY NEEDED.

WE MOVED NOT TOO LONG AGO WITH

MY FAMILY FROM GAINESVILLE,

FLORIDA.

I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW BIG THE

HISPANIC COMMUNITY WAS HERE IT

WAS AMAZING HOW MANY PEOPLE

COULD NOT SPEAK ENGLISH.

I WAS TOM CLINICIANS WHO COULD

SPEAK SPANISH.

THEY HELPED WITH SOME

INTERPRETERS BUT I'M GLAD I'M

ABLE TO HELP MORE AND EASE THE

MISCONCEPTIONS AND THE FEARS

THAT SOME HISPANICS HAVE TOWARDS

THE VACCINATION AND BE ABLE TO

TELL THEM I GOT THE VACCINE, I'M

ABLE TO GIVE IT TO YOU.

WE ARE IN A SAFE PLACE AND JUST

PRED THE WORD.

WE HAVE A SIMPLE RULE.

WE DON'T ASK ABOUT STATUS OR IF

YOU ARE HERE LEGALLY OR NOT.

ALL WE HAVE TOLD THE HISPANIC

COMMUNITY TOM THING WE NEED TO

VERIFY IS THAT YOU LIVE IN

FAYETTE COUNTY OW OR THAT YOU

WORK IN FAYETTE COUNTY.

OTHER THAN THAT WE ARE NOT

ASKING FOR ANYBODY'S SOCIAL

SECURITY NUMBER.

WE DO THEM IF THEY HAVE HEALTH

INSURANCE BUT IF THEY DON'T,

THAT'S OKAY AND WE HAVE BEEN

DISSEMINATING THAT ALMOST A

MONTH AGO BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE

OF THE FIRST QUESTIONS, I DID AN

INVIEW AND THAT WAS THE FIRST

QUESTION THAT I GOT.

DO I NEED TO BE DOCUMENTED TO

GET THE VACCINE A RESEARCH

PROGRAM AT UNIVERSITY OF

KENTUCKY'S COLLEGE OF NURSING

RECRUITS COMMUNITY HEALTH

WORKERS KNOWN IN SPANISH AND

TRAINS TO HELP IN THE

COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE LESS

ACCESS TO HEALTH SERVICES.

THE RECENT PROGRAM ORIGINALLY

CREATED TO REDUCE HEART DISEASE

AND DIABETES RISK HAS BECOME A

LIFELINE FOR NON-ENGLISH

SPEAKING COMMUNITIES DURING THE

PANDEMIC.

MARTIN SAYS THAT LANGUAGE

BARRIERS AND FEAR ABOUT

DISCLOSING IMMIGRATION STATUS

ARE HURDLES IN THE VEEJ

REGISTRATION PROCESS.

>> FILLING OUT THE FORMS LIKE I

SAID BEFORE, IS ALSO A BARRIER

IT TELLS YOU IN SPANISH TO GO

HERE THEN WHEN YOU GO THERE THEN

THERE IS OTHER FORMS AND THEN

THERE ARE QUESTIONS ASKED, YOU

KNOW LIKE THEY SAY PUT YOUR

SOCIAL SECURITY AND PEOPLE GO

AHEAD AND WHEN THEY SEE THAT, IF

WE SEE PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF

SOME PEOPLE SEE THAT AND THEY GO

AHEAD AND JUST GET OUT.

THEY DON'T FINISH FILLING OUT.

>> SHE SERVED WHEN SHE LIVED IN

PERU IS CONTINUING HER WORK IN

LEXINGTON AS A PART-TIME

COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER THROUGH

THE U.K. PROGRAM.

(SPEAKING SPANISH)

>> IF HAVE YOU HISPANIC FRIENDS

THAT YOU KNOW ARE AFRAID TO COME

FORWARD AND GET THE VACCINE,

TELL THEM, LISTEN, WE ARE NOT

GOING TO BE ASKING FOR ANY TYPE

OF STATUS.

IT'S FREE FOR EVERYONE IT IS NOT

HARMFUL.

BUT THERE ARE SOME SIDE EFFECTS.

BUT I GOT VACCINATED OVER A

MONTH AGO AND I WAS FINE THE

WHOLE TIME.

BUT JUST TALK TO THEM AND

ENCOURAGE THEY WILL AND IF YOU

CAN HELP THEM OUT IN THE

REGISTRATION PROCESS BECAUSE

THEY MIGHT NOT BE GOOD IN

ENGLISH, WE HAVE IT IN SPANISH.

IF THEY'RE NOT GOOD WITH THE

INTERNET, THEY CAN CALL OUR HOT

LINE 859-899 HF 2222.

AND THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT SPEAK

SPANISH THAT CAN HELP THEM WITH

THE PROCESS.

>> TO GIVE US SOME GREATER

PERSPECTIVE ABOUT HOW TO GET

COMMUNITIES OF COLOR,

PARTICULARLY THE HISPANIC

COMMUNITY OUT AND VACCINATED, WE

ARE JOINED BY VICTOR PALOMINO

WITH RADIO LEX AND HE DOES A LOT

OF THE STATIONS SPANISH LANGUAGE

PROGRAMMING AND JOINS US NOW TO

TALK ABOUT WHAT HE IS DOING TO

GET THE WORD OUT AND TO GET

PEOPLE VACCINATED HOW ARE YOU

DOING, VICTOR.

>> DOING WELL, RENEE, THANKS FOR

HAVING ME.

>> Renee: WE WERE TALKING BEFORE

WE STARTED RECORDING, WE BOTH

HAVE BEEN VACCINATED AND GOT OUR

SECOND SHOTS.

WE BOTH HAD MODERNA.

I ASKED HOW YOU WERE DOING.

YOU DON'T HAVE A THIRD ARM ORING

IN LIKE THAT.

>> IT IS A GOOD FEELING KNOWING

THAT I HAVE THE VACCINE AND CAN

I MAKE AN EXAMPLE TO OUR

COMMUNITY.

TOM THING WAS LIKE ONE DAY WHERE

I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF BILLS AND

FELT A LITTLE SICK BUT IT WAS A

DAY THAT I NEEDED TO REST AND

AFTER THAT, I GOT MY ENERGY TACK

AND BACK TO WORK AND DOING WHAT

WE DO.

>> Renee: ISN'T IT LIKE A

RELIEF.

YOU FEEL EMOTIONAL, OKAY, I'M

NOTE JUST PROTECTING MYSELF, I'M

PROTECTING MY COMMUNITY, RIGHT?

>> AND OPENING THE DOOR FOR

PEOPLE THAT MAYBE HAVE QUESTIONS

OR MAYBE THAT ARE AAFRAID TO

TAKE THE VACCINE THAT I TELL

THEM MY EXPERIENCES I TOOK THE

FIRST SHOT, THIS HAPPENED I'M

TAKING THE SECOND SHOT IT'S

SOMETHING AS PART OF THE

COMMUNITY, WE HAVE TO DO IT

SOMETIMES, IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES

AND SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE THEY

ARE A LITTLE BIT ON THE MARGINS

OF COMMUNICATIONS AND ON THE

MARGINS OF WHEN THINGS HAPPENED

SO IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO

SHOW UP AND SAY WE ARE PART OF

THE COMMUNITY AND WE ARE MAKING

OUR PART.

>> Renee: ONE OF THE THINGS WE

HEARD IN THE PIECE THAT PRECEDED

YOU IS THAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE ARE

GETTING SO MUCH OF THE

INFORMATION FROM SOCIAL MEDIA,

WHICH IS NOT NECESSARILY

VERIFIABLE TRUTH, RIGHT?

AND SO, BECAUSE YOU ARE

LISTENING AND WATCHING AND

READING EVERYTHING PEOPLE ARE

SAYING AND MAY NOT BE RELYING ON

THE TRUE SCIENCE.

DO YOU RUN ACROSS THAT, THAT

PEOPLE ARE REALLY MAYBE GETTING

THE INFORMATION FROM SOCIAL

MEDIA RATHER THAN THROUGH

RELIABLE SOURCES OF INFORMATION.

>> THAT HAPPENS A LOT,

ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU SPEAK A

LANGUAGE DIFFERENT THAN ENGLISH,

YOU WANT TO HAVE THE INFORMATION

IN YOUR FIRST LANGUAGE.

THAT'S THE ONE ARE MORE

COMFORTABLE.

YOU THINK AND DREAM IN THAT

LANGUAGE SO WHEN THINGS LIKE

THIS HAPPEN, YOU FEEL MORE

COMFORTABLE GOING TO YOUR SOCIAL

MEDIA FRIENDS OR START HEARING

THINGS LIKE YOU SAY, NOT

OFFICIAL AND IT CAN TAKE THEM IN

TOO MANY DIRECTIONS.

NOT ONLY RADIO LEX BUT OTHER

ORGANIZATIONS ARE GETTING

TOGETHER TO TRY TO SEND A

MESSAGE FROM A LOCAL POINT OF

VIEW OF WHAT IS HAPPENING

BECAUSE SOMETIMES WHAT HAPPENS

IS PEOPLE KNOW MORE WHAT IS

HAPPENING IN THEIR OWN COUNTRIES

OR IN COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY

COME FROM THAN WHAT IS REALLY

HAPPENING HERE SO IT'S BEEN A

CHALLENGE ALL THESE PANDEMIC TO

GET THAT INFORMATION TO

EVERYBODY.

SOMETIMES WE FORGET THAT WE HAVE

A VERY DIVERSE AND INTERNATIONAL

COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC HEALTH

MOMENTS LIKE THIS HAPPEN,

SOMETIMES WE FORGET MOST OF THE

INFORMATION IS DELIVERED IN

ENGLISH.

WE HAVE TO DO A LITTLE MORE

EFFORT THAN TO REACH OUT AND GET

THE INFORMATION DELIVERED TO

EVERYBODY ELSE THAT SPEAKS OUR

LANGUAGE.

>> Renee: AND TO THE QUESTION

ABOUT VACCINE HESITANCY, AT THE

TIME WE RECORDED THIS INTERVIEW

ON THE HEELS OF THE JOHNSON &

JOHNSON PAUSE BY THE IF EFFORT

TO JUST WAIT AND SEE WHAT

HAPPENS, TO LEARN ABOUT THE SIX

CASES OF SEVERE BLOOD CLOTS, ONE

THAT LED TO DEATH, BEFORE THEY

RESUME.

DO YOU FIND THAT'S GOING TO BE A

FURTHER BARRIER BECAUSE IF THEY

WERE HESITANT AND ON THE FENCE,

JUS LIKE THAT CAN BE PRETTY

JARRING.

>> YES, AND WE ARE WORKING WITH

THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TRYING TO

GET A PANEL OF PEOPLE HERE FROM

THE COMMUNITY TO EXPLAIN WHAT IS

GOING ON, WHAT, WHY THE VACCINES

ARE BEING STOPPED WHAT ARE THE

SYMPTOMS THAT PEOPLE HAVE.

EXPLAINING EVERYTHING VERY

DETAILS BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY

WITH THE INTERNET AND SOCIAL

MEDIA NEWS THAT IS NOT REAL GETS

SPREAD EASIER AND FASTER AND

PEOPLE LIKE TO CLICK THAT AND

THE ALGORITHMS.

SO IT'S HARD TO REACH OUT AND

IF THEY WERE ALREADY AFRAID OF

GETTING THE VACCINE FOR WHATEVER

REASON, NOW THEY'RE GOING TO

HAVE MORE QUESTIONS AND EVEN

MORE AFRAID OF GETTING THE

VACCINE SO IT'S THE ONLY WAY

THAT WE CAN FIGHT THAT IS THE

SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITIES,

LEADERS OF THE COMMUNITY.

PEOPLE THAT HAVE FAMILIAR FACES

THAT THEY KNOW AND SHOWING THEM,

GETTING THE VACCINE OR SHOWING

GO WITH THEM TO PUBLIC AREA LIKE

IN IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES, WORD

OF MOUTH IS VERY BIG.

SOMETIMES YOU TRUST YOUR

NEIGHBOR OR FRIENDS OR FAMILY

ARE SAWING SO IF WE CAN GET ONE

PERSON FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT

IS TRUSTED BY THE COMMUNITY TO

DELIVER THAT INFORMATION, THAT'S

GOING TO HELP US TO GET OVER ALL

THE FALSE INFORMATION ONLINE.

>> Renee: HAVING THE AMBASSADORS

TO CARRY THE MESSAGE SO WHAT IS

THE MESSAGE THAT YOU WANT TO

SEND TO PERHAPS NOT THE PRIMARY

NATIVE LANGUAGE ABOUT THE

IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THE

VACCINE AND IF THEY'RE CONCERNED

ABOUT IT AND IF THEY'RE

CONCERNED IF THEY'RE NOT

DOCUMENTED WE HEARD THAT DOESN'T

MATTER.

NOBODY IS GOING TO ASK YOU FOR

YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER.

>> THAT'S I A BIG POINT.

IF YOU ARE UNDOCUMENTED, YOU TRY

TO BE UNDER THE RADAR THE

MESSAGE I HAVE FOR THEM IS DON'T

BE AFRAID.

ASK QUESTIONS, GO TO THE HEALTH

DEPARTMENT, GLOBAL LEX HAVE A

LOT OF INFORMATION THERE ARE

AGENCIES HELPING IN YOUR

LANGUAGE TO ANSWER THOSE

QUESTIONS.

DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK AND IF

YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE

THE VACCINE, TELL YOUR FRIENDS

TELL YOUR FAMILY AND NETWORK WE

ARE ALL PART OF KENTUCKY IT IS A

BEAUTIFUL PLACE WITH DIVERSITY

AND WE NEED TO SHOW THE REST OF

THE COMMUNITY THAT WE BELONG, WE

ARE PART OF THIS AND WE ARE

GOING TO COME OUT TOGETHER AS A

UNIT.

>> Renee: RIFN TO RADIO LEX

BECAUSE YOU'LL GIVE THEM THE

INFORMATION THEY NEED AND TELL

THEM WHERE TO GO.

>> LISTEN TO RADIO LEX.

WE ARE YOUR COMMUNITY RADIO.

WE WANT TO BE THE VOICE OF

LEXINGTON AND WE HAVE

INFORMATION IN MULTIPLE

LANGUAGES.

SO IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE

GOVERNOR'S UPDATES, WE DO THAT

IN AT LEAST 10 DIFFERENT

LANGUAGES AND THE SPANISH

STATION 98.AT NOON YOU CAN HEAR

A SUMMARY OF THE GOVERNOR'S

BRIEFINGS EVERY DAY AT NOON.

>> Renee: THAT'S WONDERFUL.

THANK YOU.

>> AND GO TO OUR WEBSITE.

>> Renee: I HAVE BEEN TO THE

WEBSITE AND ALL THE

INFORMATIONINGS THERE.

>> YOU CAN SELECT THE LANGUAGE

AND EVERYTHING.

TRY TO BE DIVERSE.

YOU CANNOT THINK ABOUT DIVERSITY

IN JUST ONE LANGUAGE.

>> Renee: THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU

ARE DOING FOR OUR COMMUNITY HERE

IN LEXINGTON AND EVEN I KNOW IT

REACHES BEYOND SO THANK YOU FOR

ALL GREAT WORK.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> STAY WITH US AS WE TALK MORE

ABOUT VACCINE HESITANCY,

PARTICULARLY THOUGH IN THE

AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY.

VIVIAN LASLEY-BIBBS CHAIRS THE

FOUNDATION FOR HEALTHY KENTUCKY

JOINS US NEXT.

JOINING US NOW IS VIVIAN

LASLEY-BIBBS.

SHE HAS BEEN ON THIS PROGRAM

SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE.

SHE IS A HEALTH EQUITY CHAMPION,

REALLY ACTIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY

TRYING TO HELP BRIDGE THE

DISPARATE FACTS AND FIGURES WE

HAVE WHEN IT COMES TO

COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND COVID

IS NO EXCEPTION.

WE HAVE BEEN HEARING ABOUT HOW

GETTING MORE OF THE HISPANIC

COMMUNITY INVOLVED AND GETTING

THEIR VACCINATIONS AND WHAT THE

HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS DOING.

BUT AS CHAIR OF THE FOUNDATION

FOR HEALTHY KENTUCKY BOARD, HAVE

YOU SEVERAL HATS BUT THIS IS THE

ONE THAT YOU ARE USING TODAY.

YOU ARE REALLY ACTIVE IN HELPING

TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF HEALTH

DISPARITY WHICH YOU HAVE DONE

FOR A LONG TIME BUT AS IT

RELATES TO COVID.

WHY IS IT EXAS EXACERBATED WITH

R OR IS COVID JUST REVEALING IT.

>> YOU YOU RIP THE BAND-AID OFF

AND SAY I DIDN'T REALIZE WHAT

WAS UNDER THERE AND WHAT HAD

BEEN FESTERING AND I LIKE TO

DESCRIBE IT AS AN ONION WE

STARTED PEELING BACK THE LAYIERS

AND FOUND OUT THAT COVID SHOWED

NOT ONLY ARE WE HAVING THE

HEALTH DISPARITIES BUT WITH

COVID ON TOP OF THAT AND THE

IMPLICATIONS THAT COVID IMPOSED

ON US STAYING AT HOME, THE

CHILDREN STAYING AT HOME, US NOT

WORKING, ALL OF THOSE THINGS

WERE FAMILY FIED IN COMMUNITIES

OF COLOR, RIGHT.

SO YOU THINK ABOUT THOSE

SYSTEMIC AND INSTITUTIONAL

BARRIERS THAT HAVE ALWAYS BEEN

THERE WERE EXACERBATED BY COVID

I'M GLAD TO SAY THAT THE

FOUNDATION WITH HEALTH EQUITY AS

PART OF OUR MISSION STATEMENT,

WE'VE REALLY BEEN VIGILANT ABOUT

FINDING OUT HOW WE CAN ADDRESS

SOME OF THE CONSCIOUS IN OUR

COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND THE

GOOD NEWS IS AS THE CASES HAVE

STARTED TO DECLINE, THE

DISPARITY BETWEEN THE CASES AND

THE REPRESENTATION OF

AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN THE

COMMUNITY ARE ALMOST ALIGNED.

THAT WE ARE STARTING TO MAKE

MORE SENSE WHEN IT COMES TO

THAT.

LET'S TALK ABOUT FOR THE

PURPOSES OF THIS SHOW.

WHAT IS THE HESITANCY OF

VACCINATIONS IN THE

AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY?

IS THAT STILL ABISSUE AT THAT

POINT.

>> IT MAY HAVE BEEN AN ISSUE

EARLY ON BUT AS MORE

CONVERSATIONS ARE HELD, MORE

INFORMATION FACTUAL INFORMATION

TO GET OUT, THE MYTHS AND AND

MISCONCEPTIONS BEING DEBUNKED,

THE VACCINE HESITANCY IN

COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, TO ME WAS

NEVER THE DRIVER.

TO ME IT WAS THE SYSTEMIC

THINGS, THE RACISM OF THE

HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, ACCESS TO THE

VIRUS ITSELF TRANSPORTATION

ISSUES TO GET TO A SITE TO GET

THE VACCINE OR TO GET TESTED.

>> Renee: OR EVEN TO SIGN UP.

>> THERE YOU GO.

WE HAVE SOME LITERACY ISSUES

THERE RELATING TO COMPUTER

ACCESS, USE, BROOND AND

INTERNET.

I CAN TELL YOU IT'S NOT CHEAP

AND NOT EVERY HOME HAS THAT AND

WE SEEM TO THINK THAT EVERYBODY

HAS A CELL PHONE.

EVERYBODY HAS A COMPUTER

EVERYBODY HAS AN iPAD.

THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY TRUE IN

SOME OF OUR REALLY IMPOVERISHED

COMMUNITIES.

ACCESS AND TRANSPORTATION WERE

SOME OF THE KEY FACTORS THAT WAS

BEING HIDDEN UNDER THE VACCINE

HESITANCY.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO ADDRESS SOME

OF THE OTHER ISSUES IF YOU SAY

VACCINE HESITANCY.

>> Renee: THAT IT IS JUST ALMOST

LIKE AN EXCUSE.

OR A RELIGIOUS OBJECTION OR YOU

KNOW, THE HISTORY THAT

AFRICAN-AMERICANS HAVE HAD WITH

THE TUSKEGEE EXPERIMENT.

WE HER ABOUT THAT AND A LOT OF

THE AFRICAN-AMERICANS CHURCH

HAVE BEEN PROACTIVE AND INVOLVED

FROM TESTING TO VACCINATION MY

OWN CHURCH, WHICH I'M A MEMBER

OF THERE WAS A CLINIC HELD WITH

THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY.

WE AWE THOSE PARTNERSHIPS AND DO

YOU THINK THAT HELPED WHEN YOU

HAD LOCAL MINISTERS AND CLERGY

AND EVEN PEW BUDDIES, IF PEOPLE

WHO WERE GOING TO CHURCH GETTING

THEIR VACCINATIONS.

>> WHO DO WE LOOK TO FOR OUR

ADVICE AND INFORMATION BECAUSE

WE KNOW IF THE PASTOR SAYS IT,

WE'RE GOING TO DO IT.

IT'S DONE, RIGHT.

>>

>> Renee: RIGHT.

>> IT WAS BENEFICIAL, IT WAS

HELPFUL.

THE THING I'M GLAD TO SEE IS

THAT IT DIDN'T STOP THERE

BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE RELY ON THE

FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY TO DO

EVERYTHING FOR COMMUNITIES OF

COLOR AND I'M GLAD THAT WAS JUST

ONE PIECE.

NOW WE HAVE OTHER FOLKS STEPPING

UP TO THE PLACE WE HAVE THE

URBAN LEAGUE AND NAACP.

SORORITIES AND FRATERNITIES,

WE'VE GOT THE LINKS, WE'VE GOT

OTHER PEOPLE LIKE WHAT CAN WE DO

TO HELP, WHAT CAN WE DO TO BE

INVOLVED?

THAT'S WHAT I'M GLAD TO SEE

BECAUSE EARLY ON WHEN I STARTED

TALKING ABOUT HEALTH

DISPARITIES, EVERYBODY WENT TO

THE CHURCH.

IF WE JUST GET THE FAITH-BASED

COMMUNITY, ALL OF THE

DISPARITIES THEY'LL ADDRESS

THOSE AND EVERYTHING IS GOING TO

BE GOOD.

>> Renee: I REMEMBER THAT.

>> EVERYBODY WENT TO THE

FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY.

LET'S GO TO THE BLACK CHURCH,

LET'S GO TO THE BROWN CHURCHES.

>> Renee: AND THERE ARE A LOT OF

PEOPLE WHO DON'T GO TO THOSE

CHURCH.

YOU ARE LEAVING OUT A BIG

PORTION OF THE POPULATION.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> Renee: SO WITH ALL THE NEWS

AT THE TIME WE RECORD RECORDED

THIS, A FEW DAYS AFTER THE

JOHNSON & JOHNSON ISSUE WHERE

THEY HAD PULLED THAT, PUT A

PAUSE ON IT TEMPORARILY.

DO YOU THINK THAT THAT WILL

WORSEN, WE'LL CALL IT VACCINE

HESITANCY FOR PEOPLE?

WHO ARE DO YOU THINK THAT THERE

ARE OTHER CHOICES, TWO OTHER

CHOICES.

>> EXACTLY.

I'M GLAD WE HAVE THE OTHER

CHOICES.

THE ONE THING I REALLY WANTED,

THAT PEOPLE ASKED ME, TO

REMEMBER THAT THIS WAS A VERY

RARE EVENT.

THE CHANCES OF SIX PEOPLE OUT OF

SEVEN MILLION PEOPLE ONE DEATH,

TO ME YOU HAVE MORE SIDE EFFECTS

BAKING A PRECIPITATION THAT YOUR

DOCTOR WOULD GIVE YOU FOR

SOMETHING LIKE DIABETES OR, YOU

KNOW, THERE ARE OTHER THINGS

THAT NEED TO BE CONSIDERED BUT

WE HEARD THAT AND THE MEDIA

FLASHED THAT AND WE WERE LOOKING

FOR THAT OUT, WE WERE LOOKING

FOR, THERE IT IS, I KNEW IT.

I WAS JUST WAITING ON IT.

I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, I

DO THINK PEOPLE AS WE SIGHT IT

COME BACK BY THE END OF THE WEEK

I THINK THEY'RE SAYING IT WILL

BE BACK USING J & J I THINK

PEOPLE ARE STILL GOING TO BE

OPEN TO RECEIVING THAT ONE DOSE.

>> Renee: ONE AND DONE.

I STILL THAT IS GOING TO BE BEST

FOR CERTAIN POPULATIONS I DO

THINK PEOPLE ARE GLAD THAT THEY

HAVE THE CHOICE OF MODERNA OR

PFIZER CURRENTLY.

I THINK PEOPLE I'M GLAD I HAVE A

CHOICE WE ALL LIKE TO KNOW THAT

BUT I DO THINK FOR OUR HOME

BOUND, FOR THOSE THAT CAN'T GET

OUT, THE J & J IS LOGISTICALLY

THE VACCINE THAT SHOULD BE USED.

>> Renee: SOME OF THE OTHER

THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT,

TRANSPORTATION ISSUES, ALL OF

THAT, THAT WOULD HELP ALLEVIATE

THAT AND THEY WERE STILL TRYING

TO PROOF THERE WAS A DIRECT

CORRELATION WITH THE WOMEN IT IS

INTERESTING IT WAS WOMEN.

SO THERE ARE STILL SOME

QUESTIONS.

WE DON'T KNOW ALL THE ANSWERS.

I TOOK MY VACCINE.

I STEPPED OUT ON FAITH AND SAID

I'M GOING TO DO THIS FOR ME AND

MY COMMUNITY, FOR MY FAMILY.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE LONG-TERM

EFFECTS, IF ANY, WILL BE BUT I

KNEW WHAT I HAD TO DO.

FOR ME AND MY FAMILY.

>> Renee: AND YOUR COMMUNITY,

TOO, RIGHT?

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> SO AS WE LOOK AHEAD AND WE

HAVE HEARD THAT, WELL YOU MAY

HAVE TO TAKE A BOOSTER IN THE

FALL OR WHENEVER AFTER A PERIOD

OF SO MANY MONTHS JUST LIKE YOU

WOULD A FLU VACCINE.

IT MAY BECOME AN ANNUAL THING

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT PEOPLE WHO

THOUGHT, I COULD GET THE J & J

THOUGHT AND I WAS GOOD FOR THE

REST OF MY LIFE, HELP US

UNDERSTAND THAT THIS MAY BE

SOMETHING RECURRING AND IT IS

NOT TO BE FEARED.

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK ABOUT THE

SAME THING YOU SAID WITH THE FLU

VACCINE.

THAT'S SOMETHING I DO.

I DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT.

I DO IT EVERY YEAR.

AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC

AND WE LOOK AT VACCINE

DEVELOPMENT I THINK WE ARE GOING

TO SEE, I'M HOPING THAT BECOMES

JUST AS NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT

AS YOU DO THE FLU SHOT, IT

BECOMES NORMALIZED.

JUST SOMETHING WE DO I'M NOT

SAYING THAT THERE WON'T BE PREP

DAYS BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T GET

THE FLU SHOT.

OUR FLU NUMBERS ARE STILL NOT

THE BEST BUT WHAT I HOPE PEOPLE

WILL REMEMBER IS THAT IF THIS

BECOMES SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE

TO DO LONG-TERM STILL REMEMBER

WHAT WAS LOST REMEMBER WHAT WAS

LOST AS WE WENT THROUGH THIS

PANDEMIC AND IF THAT'S GOING TO

SAVE LIVES, THATth WHAT WE

HAVE TO DO.

WHERE IS THE EMPATHY AND

COMPASSION?

WE HAVE LOST THAT SO I STILL

THINK ABOUT, THIS IS WHAT WE

NEED TO DO TO PROTECT OUR

FAMILIES, OUR COMMUNITIES, OUR

CO-WORKERS, YOU KNOW, WE COULD

GO ON AND ON $AND WE THINK ABOUT

THE VAIR VARIANTS AND YOU KNOW

BETTER THAN I, HOW VIRUSES WANT

AND DESIRE TO MUTATE.

THEY WANT TO FIND NEW PLACES TO

HARBOR AND HARVEST AND SPREAD.

AND SO WOULD IT BE IMPORTANT AS

WE GO ALONG TO PROTECT OURSELVES

AGAINST THESE EMERGING VARIANTS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

YOUR OUTCOME IS MUCH MORE IF YOU

HAVEN'T BEEN VACCINATED AND YOU

GET A VARIANT STRAIN OR YOU HAVE

THE VIRUS VERSUS THOSE OF US

THAT HAVE BEEN VACCINATED.

WE HAVE A LEVEL OF PROTECTION

AND WOULD I RATHER HAVE THAT

LEVEL OF PROTECTION TO DECREASE

MY RISK OF HOSPITALIZATION AND

DEATH THAN TO NOT.

>> AND SO AS WE GET READY TO

CLOSE, FOR THOSE OF US WHO HAVE

BEEN VACCINATED, I'M FULLY

VACCINATED AS WELL.

WE STILL NEED TO PRACTICE OUR

MITIGATION MEASURES, CORRECTED?

>> YES.

>> STILL WEAR YOUR MASK, SOCIAL

DISTANCING, MORE THAN SIX FEET

APART.

ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE

IMPORTANT UNTIL WHEN.

>> UNTIL WE REACH HERD IMMUNITY,

UNTIL WE REACH THAT 75 TO 80% OF

OUR POPULATION BEING PROTECTED,

UNTIL WE REACH THAT NUMBER,

WHATEVER THAT NUMBER IS BECAUSE

IT'S STILL A MOVING TARGET,

RIGHT?

WE STILL NEED TO BE VIGILANT.

WE STILL NEED TO PRACTICE THOSE

THINGS AND I'M NOT SURE WE WILL

EVER GO BACK TO GIVING THE

KISSES AND HUGSES THAT WE USE

TO.

I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WE

THINK ABOUT FROM NOW ON.

AS WE INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER.

>> Renee: POT LUCKS,.

>> AND THE BUFFETS AND A LOT OF

THOSE THINGS THAT WE USED TO

TALK FOR GRANTED OR WE USED TO

SAY THAT THEY WILL BE AROUND

FOREVER MAY NOT BE.

THEY MAY NOT BE.

>> Renee: VIVIAN GAVE ME A GREAT

FUTURE EPISODE.

WE TALK ABOUT THE WORLD AFTER

COVID AND HOW PARTICULARLY IT

EFFECTS DISPARATE COMMUNITIES.

LOOK FOR THAT.

SHE WILL BE ON TO TALK ABOUT IT.

THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US FOR

A FEW MINUTES TO GIVE US A

PERSPECTIVE.

I APPRECIATE ALL YOU FOR THE

COMMUNITY AND THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE YOU.

AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THIS

EDITION OF CONNECTIONS WITH WE

TALKED ABOUT VACCINE HESITANCY

AND HOW THIS DISEASE HAS EFFECT

AFFECTED THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN

AND HISPANIC COMMUNITIES.

THERE IS A LOT OUT THERE FOR YOU

TO UNDERSTAND.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR

WATCHING.

TAKE REALLY GOOD CARE.