Availability, inequity harm distribution of the vaccine

Over the past few weeks, my office has received daily calls from seniors in District 6 asking if my staff can help them get an appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The reasons vary, but for the most part, they are desperate. Appointments at the convention center are not available, Publix locations with the vaccine aren’t close enough to where they are, and the remaining sites have run out of dosages. They also face other challenges, like lack of transportation to vaccine locations, no internet access to make an appointment, and some are without a computer.

Whether we know it or not, we have made getting an appointment “easily difficult” for many seniors in underserved communities. That’s why it is vital that we do what we can to assist them and knock down as many barriers to getting an appointment as possible.

One way to do that is by connecting directly with our residents. Last week, my office went door-to-door to drop flyers at homes in Richmond Heights and Washington Shores to let seniors know where they can search for vaccine appointments. The leaflet included where the closest vaccine location was to them, how to make the appointment, and my office’s contact information, including our phone number. Should they need assistance with booking an appointment, I wanted them to know my office was here to help.

Since then, calls from residents to my office who need a vaccine appointment have doubled. In addition to issues with appointments, I’m troubled by the inequity in vaccine distribution. More than 110,000 Orange County residents have been vaccinated at last check, with about 8,000 or so African Americans receiving their first dose. While these numbers aren’t exact, it shows the disparity in distribution that we must work to remove.

While there is a shortage of vaccines available for the general public, it seems that there aren’t many for minorities, specifically African Americans.

I’m grateful to both mayors for their leadership during these difficult times. I’m also appreciative that a new vaccine distribution site will open near many of our underserved communities at Valencia West.

We’ve also worked to dispel many of the myths that surround the vaccine, like its overall safety and effectiveness. When news of the vaccine first emerged late last year, I heard from many that Black people wouldn’t take it because “we” don’t trust the government.

That’s not true for everyone. Seniors I have spoken with welcome the opportunity to take the vaccine while there remains some hesitancy in younger populations. Even if that uncertainty remains, that should not stop us from offering the vaccine to those individuals and communities that are indecisive about taking the vaccine.

We should also understand that the government hasn’t done the necessary work to earn the full trust of African Americans. To help dispel those myths and earn back that trust, I, along with many elected officials, received the vaccine in a public setting to show that it is safe. That’s still not enough, though. We must continue to educate our community as to why taking the vaccine is not only safe but needed.

Breaking these myths can be done in varied ways, like door-to-door contact, phone calls, virtual forums, PSAs, etc. In early March, I will partner with Orlando Health to host a virtual town hall via Facebook Live to answer frequently asked questions about the vaccine.

The community shouldn’t have to come to us for information on a matter as crucial as the coronavirus. As leaders, specifically elected leaders, we must go to them.

One of the best and most used quotes from Martin Luther King Jr. is about character, morality, and service. He says, “the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of convenience and comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

We are in the depths of one of the most challenging times in recent memory. But we can overcome those challenges if we unify in the name of equity and stand up for those who need our help the most.

What are we doing to ensure that underserved residents have equitable access to the vaccine?

Along with my colleagues on the City Council, I will continue to work until every senior who desires the vaccine receives it.