Vaccine skepticism among people of color: 'I'm just terrified, honestly'
CHICAGO - For many people of color, the coronavirus vaccine is being viewed with skepticism.
Many have experienced systemic racism while dealing with healthcare workers and are wary of the speed by which the vaccine was developed.
They also remember the government's "Tuskegee" experiments.
Madison and California was the place to be Saturday. Congressman Danny Davis handed out nearly 1,000 turkeys and hams. His greatest gift, perhaps however, is encouraging his own people to simply trust science.
"Take the vaccine. We know you’re skeptical," Davis said.
Even as national reports show Blacks and Hispanics suffering from COVID more than other ethic groups, folks on the Near West Side are certainly leery of the COVID vaccine.
"This what we know about it right now. What about next year? What about six months from now? You really don’t know," said Jay Bellinger.
"It’s hard to forget the past when we lost so many lives due to negligence of the government," said mother of two Lanette Hudson.
The infamous 1932 "Tuskegee Syphilis Study" still haunts many African Americans. That is when 600 Black men were unknowingly injected with a strain of syphilis for a government experiment. Twenty-eight of them died.
"I’m just terrified, honestly. I'm terrified of the shot, I'm not gonna tell a lie. I'm terrified about taking the shot due to fact I am a part of history of Tuskegee," Hudson said.
Congressman Davis supports the COVID vaccine, and despite some adverse reactions to the shot, he says minorities must participate in clinical trials and become as educated as possible on the issue.
"The pandemic is so devastating. Can’t let a few adverse reactions determine not to make use of the science. Not to make use of the vaccine," he said.
Davis also said he would get his COVID vaccine first thing Sunday morning.