The Black community is falling behind
While Blacks are about 40 percent of Philadelphia’s population, it’s rate of vaccination against the Covid—19 virus is running about 15 percent! The dreadful impact of this shortfall can be measured in terms of both Covid-19 cases and worst of all, Covid-19 deaths*.
Covid-19 Cases in Philadelphia per 10,000 residents
– Blacks 565
– Hispanic 459
– White 458
Covid-19 Deaths in Philadelphia per 10,000 residents
– Blacks 21
– Hispanic 17
– White 11
In contrast, the rate of vaccination for Whites is over 55 percent. But it is even worse for other minorities with only 8 percent of Hispanic residents and 3 percent of Asians being protected by the two available vaccines.
Local medical immunologists feel that the variances are due to a chronic lack of trust in preventive immunization among minorities and especially among African Americans.
The reality of Covid-19 injections is that the federal Center for Disease Control and prevention calculates that even with two months solid experience with the vaccines the only serious reactions have been a rate of 1-2 per million. These reactions have been handled immediately by medical staff – who are always on hand for vaccinations. Not one single death has been reported after almost 20,000,000 injections.
The federal government is hoping that urging of medical authorities from the respected scientists like Dr Fauci and Pres. Biden’s top medical team down to the neighborhood doctors and nurses, plus local pastors and elected officials will get behind the vaccination drive as supplies increase.
*U.S. Census Bureau and Philadelphia Department of Health, January 2021
