ANN ARBOR, MI — Michigan Medicine is hosting a virtual town hall Saturday, where community leaders plan to engage with residents to answer questions about COVID-19 and alleviate concerns about vaccines.
The Program for Multicultural Health at Michigan Medicine has organized the virtual event, “COVID-19 and the African American Community,” from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Jan. 16., to discuss steps toward equitable and ethical healthcare.
Panelists include Kiela Samuels, clinical pharmacist at Michigan Medicine’s Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology; Dr. Jessie Kimbrough Marshall, adjunct assistant professor at Michigan Medicine’s Division of Hospital Medicine, and the Rev. Harry Grayson, bishop of Ypsilanti’s Messias Temple.
Orthelia Pryor, senior project manager at Michigan Medicine’s Office for Health Equity and Inclusion, will serve as moderator.
A live discussion will tackle the lack of trust in healthcare within Black communities, answer questions based in science and share personal stories about COVID-19, officials said.
“We want to make sure that older adults and at-risk populations have the science-based data where they can make an informed choice about a COVID-19 vaccine,” Tony Denton, chief operating officer at Michigan Medicine, said last week.
“There are historical fears in communities of color around vaccines and clinical trials, and there are worries that you just don’t know what it is you’re getting. We want to really listen and acknowledge those concerns and then create engagement and dialogue to try to improve trust and confidence about this vaccine and how it can be of life-saving importance for individuals and families in these communities.”
Read more: Distrust in COVID-19 vaccine is a real concern Washtenaw health officials say they must address
Health officials across Washtenaw County have pointed to the Tuskegee Experiment for Black communities apprehension to take the vaccine.
The experiment was a 40-year study that misled impoverished Black men to participate in what researchers said was the observation of the natural progression of untreated syphilis. A large number of participants died or experienced severe health problems, leading to a generation of mistrust between Black Americans and the health care system.
Michigan Medicine plans to take a role in vaccine education with initiatives that focus on communication and its sponsorship of awareness campaigns on social media and in town hall sessions and videos, Denton said.
“We want to push information out across different mediums and to create a space for community voice, with medical and scientific experts and clergy who can join and listen but also share information about the effectiveness of the vaccine,” he said.
Those interested in attending the live panel should RSVP here to receive the Zoom link. Individuals can join by smartphone, tablet, phone or computer.
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