Fewer black hospital workers accepting Covid-19 vaccine than other groups, says Cuomo

SYRACUSE, NY – Fewer African-Americans working in hospitals are accepting the Covid-19 vaccine compared to other races and ethnic groups, according to the breakdown points the government announced today.

Blacks represent 17% of all hospital workers across the state, he said. And the hospital has offered the coronavirus vaccine to date, the governor said.

Yet only 10% of vaccinated hospital workers are black, he said.

“I think that’s the clearest evidence of hesitation, ‘he said,’ that I understand, but it’s something you have to overcome. ‘

Cuomo says he believes the analysis of hospital workers – the first racial interruptions among vaccine recipients announced by the state – gives an idea of ​​the likelihood that others will take the vaccine. According to him, these workers do not have to worry about making an appointment or calling a hotline.

“These are people who are in their workplace, offered the vaccine and said no,” he said.

However, the analysis does not apply to access to the vaccine. Most vaccine appointments are now available via online forms. Those who do not have internet service or computer skills find it more difficult to get appointments.

Accessibility to these appointments can also affect who received the vaccine when looking at others who are currently eligible, such as the elderly, firefighters or workers in grocery stores.

Hospital disruptions are still supported by recent polls. A poll by Siena College in mid-January found that about 1 in 4 New Yorkers said they did not intend to get the vaccine.

Among whites, 72% said they would get the vaccine, while 24% said they would not. Among blacks, only 58% said they would do so, while 36% said they did not intend to be vaccinated, the poll found.

To counter these views, Cuomo said, the state is also launching an advertising campaign to encourage vaccinations, especially among African Americans.

This is because the governor has worked with the NAACP, the Urban League and local ministers across the country to encourage people of color to accept the vaccine.

The data show that Latinos, Spanish and Asian hospital workers are more accepting of the vaccination.

According to data released by Cuomo today, there are nearly twice as many black hospital workers in New York as Latino or Spanish workers. Yet Latinos are about 10% of the hospital workers who received the vaccine – the same proportion as the blacks.

The hospital data also shows more that Asians will accept the vaccine.

Here are the breakdown points of hospital workers:

• Whites are 70% of the hospital workers and make up 63% of those who took the vaccine
• African Americans are 17% of the hospital workers and make up 10% of those who took the vaccine
• Latinos and Hispanics are 8% of the hospital workers and make up 10% of those who took the vaccine
• Asians are 11% of hospital workers and make up 16% of those who took the vaccine

About 12% of hospital workers did not want to disclose their race or ethnicity, Cuomo said.

Cuomo said the state will release more demographics later this week on who is vaccinated. About 1.7 million people in New York have received at least one dose of vaccine.

Onondaga County chief executive Ryan McMahon said last week the province would also release vaccine breakdowns in the coming days.

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