In Palm Beach County, where black people make up 18% of the population, only 4.1% were vaccinated as of March 1st.
Vaccination stations offered to black communities in rural Florida are visited instead by affluent, white residents who then get the vaccination against COVID-19 intended for locals.
Read more: California gives 40% of vaccine doses to vulnerable areas
According to STAT News, the farming communities of Pahokee, Florida, a city in Palm Beach County, have a population of about 60% black people and a third of the population is Hispanic. However, many of the coronavirus vaccinations sent to residents went to white people. The report found that white residents of communities such as Stuart, West Palm Beach and Miami traveled to the rural area for their dose of vaccine.
According to the Palm Beach County outlet, where blacks make up 18% of the population and Hispanics make up 21.7%, as of March 1, each group received only 4.1% and 4.7% of the vaccinations given.
“This is frustrating. But it is the decision of the state not to allow us to do an appointment system in this place. It was their decision to make this a first-come-first-served ministry, ”said the Palm Beach County commissioner. Melissa McKinlay told the news office. McKinlay en Tammy Jackson-Moore, the co-founder of the Guardians of the Glades non-profit organization, only learned information about the first vaccination ride the night before the event.
Governor of Florida Ron DeSantis the supermarket chain Publix used to facilitate the deployment of the vaccine and the appointment for residents, but for residents of rural communities such as Pahokee or Belle Glade, the nearest location is more than 20 km away.
Although Publix recently donated $ 100,000 to its campaign, the governor claims it has no bearing on his decision. STAT. Organizers and other politicians opposed the decision, which led the Emergency Management Division to set aside the vaccines for local distribution.
After the vaccination was done, residents of the community and whoever was driving were able to get the shot because there was no register for the health service event. According to the store, numerous people drove miles to obtain the vaccines intended for the underserved community.
Read more: Delivery of COVID-19 vaccines to African countries is increasing rapidly
The vaccine sent to Pahooke is the brand Moderna which comes in 10 or 11 doses of vials and according to STAT, Once opened, all doses should be used within six hours. Levis Bouffard and Mario Buro a friend warned him not to share the information so the stock is not scarce, according to the report. The couple drove more than an hour from Boynton Beach and asked when they would be able to buy vaccines for their women under 65.
Local residents of Pahokee worked to spread the word about the available vaccines, especially after being vaccinated themselves.
“I do not think there was much promotion,” the local said. Michael Assam when he sent the friends the necessary information.
Shellie Myers, a 70-year-old Pahokee resident was able to get a vaccine through the ride after being confused by the Publix registration system.
“I would have taken it as soon as I could,” he said. ‘But I’m computer literate. Many people do not have a computer and no one can do it for them. ‘
‘There’s a lot of history, there’s a lot of trauma. That is why a part of our population does not believe that they have the same privilege and access, ”he said. Jaime-Lee Bradshaw, Chief Strategic Initiative Officer at Community Partners of South Florida.
The non-profit organization employs workers who provide aftercare to patients after they have been vaccinated, as well as meals and contact tracing. They are not officially considered health workers and in turn are not at the forefront of vaccinations.
DeSantis was earlier called for vaccination in the Sunshine State. theGrio reports the governor is accused of supplying thousands of coronavirus vaccines to affluent communities and ignoring all others. A suspected “GDP list” has ensured who has access to the COVID-19 vaccine.
According to the report, the Republican chairman of the Manatee County Commission Vanessa Baugh had the responsibility to distribute the vaccine fairly, but instead she compiled a list with her name on it and her friends.
“If Manatee County does not like us doing this, it is perfectly fine with us to place it in provinces that want it, and we are absolutely happy to do that,” DeSantis exclaimed, according to theGrio. ‘So anyone who says this, let us know if you want us to send it to Sarasota next time, or Charlotte or Pasco or anywhere, let us know; we like to do it. ”
Additional reporting by Keydra Manns
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The reported Vaccination doses for Black Florida communities given to white residents first appeared on TheGrio.