A recent survey in San Diego County found that there is a lot of hesitancy about getting the COVID-19 vaccine especially in the Black community. Dr. Rodney Hood, who is on California's COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Committee, said while about 20% of white, Hispanic and Asian people said they would not get the vaccine, nearly 40% of African Americans said they would also decline the vaccine.
To address why the hesitancy exists and dispel myths about the vaccine the Multicultural Health Foundation will be holding a virtual panel discussion called, "Don’t Hesitate to Vaccinate" on Thursday, Jan. 28th from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Hood, who is also president and chairman of the Multicultural Health Foundation, joined Midday Edition to talk about perceptions and facts surrounding the coronavirus vaccine.
"There is a significant health hesitancy in the community as a whole but especially with African Americans," Hood said.
KPBS Midday Edition co-host Jade Hindmon will moderate the panel discussion. In addition to Hood, Dr. Jamal Gwathney, the clinical director for the federal Metropolitan Correctional Center in San Diego and Dr. Wilma Wooten, public health officer for San Diego County, will be on the panel.
RSVP for the virtual panel here.
