Some Blacks reluctant to get COVID vaccine. This survey in Bradenton hopes to answer why
A study of selected states and cities with data on COVID-19 deaths by race and ethnicity showed that 34 percent of deaths were among non-Hispanic Black people, though this group accounts for only 12 percent of the total U.S. population.
That report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was published in December, just as vaccines to prevent COVID-19 were becoming available. Since that time, Blacks have lagged other ethnic groups in getting the vaccine that can save their lives.
“It is a lack of trust,” Tarnisha Cliatt, president/founder and CEO of the Manasota Black Chamber of Commerce, said this week, referring to a vaccine clinic held in one local, predominantly Black, neighborhood.
“We had more than 100 shots for people and we could barely fill up one third of those slots,” she said.
While Cliatt said she endorses getting the vaccine, some of her own family members remain wary.
To better understand the mindset, the Manasota Black Chamber of Commerce has commissioned an on-line survey for community members to share their opinions about COVID-19 vaccines.
“By taking the COVID-19 vaccine survey, you’ll help us better understand the needs of our community during the pandemic and beyond,” the survey says.
The survey, at https://survey.communitydataplatforms.com/manasota_black_chamber/ takes only a few minutes to complete,
The chamber commissioned Community Data Platforms to conduct the survey “to support a stronger, smarter, and safer community through reliable data analytics.”
The survey asks a series of questions, including age, race, whether the individual has had a COVID vaccination, whether they plan to get a shot, and what kind of a setting they would prefer for a vaccination (doctor’s office, pharmacy, or other location).
While the collective results will be made public, the individual’s survey responses will not, to protect privacy.
“One aspect of our work is to understand community sentiment around critical issues by inviting community members to participate in surveys. These surveys are designed by skilled survey methodologists who use robust and reliable data science to analyze results,” the survey says.
The bottom line is to better understand the reluctance among Blacks to get vaccinated and encourage them to get their shots, Cliatt said.
“Please take the survey today and share it with colleagues, friends, and family,” the survey says. Anyone with questions about the survey can contact Ana Diaz at diaz@communitydataplatforms.com.
This story was originally published March 19, 2021 at 8:37 AM.
