LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- One by one, they rolled up their sleeves and waited for the tiny pinch of the needle and the applause from on-lookers after each successful vaccination. As a group of African American health workers received their COVID-19 vaccines Monday from the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness, they did so for a bigger reason than their health alone.
In front of a throng of cameras, they did so to help clear the shroud of fear and skepticism that some members of the African American community have of the vaccine.
Dr. Mitisha Martin, a dentist in Louisville, said she's personally encountered that skepticism in her circle of friends and family members. It didn't stop her from agreeing to get the shot, though.
"It feels great," she said. "I just feel empowered after this, to be able to do for myself, my family, my friends, my patients."
Mayor Greg Fischer, who attended the Monday photo-op, said the problem of fear and skepticism from African Americans isn't unique to Louisville.
"According to several studies by prominent research centers, up to one-third of African Americans say they would probably or definitely not get the COVID-19 vaccine," he said.
A group of African American doctors, dentists and other healthcare professionals await their vaccinations Monday. (WDRB Photo)
Kevin Cosby, the pastor of St. Stephen Baptist Church, said some of the skepticism is leftover from cases of medical mistreatment during the Jim Crow era.
"The paradox for Black people is that while we fear COVID-19, we also fear those who claim to be administering health to us, because that has not been our historical experience," he said.
But when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine, Cosby feels the science is good. It's a case he's begun making to his congregation. Dr. Sherry Babbage, the former chair of the board of health, assured St. Stephen Church on Sunday that, while produced quickly, the vaccines were tested thoroughly. She also warned the church-goers against falling victim to conspiracy theories.
"We pray that what we do here may spark something in our community, and it may become contagious," Cosby added Monday. "In our church, we get our shout on, but my goal is to help our members get our shot on."
Cosby hopes his comfort with the vaccine will spread to the others in the community. Martin hopes hers will too.
Dr. Martin receives one of two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. (WDRB Photo)
"We can do this," she said. "We can all come together. We can fight this COVID, one vaccine at a time."
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