One percent of Mississippians who have been given a coronavirus vaccine identify as Hispanic according to state health officials. Advocates say some in the Hispanic community can not afford health insurance and are at a higher risk of severe outcomes from the coronavirus. Luis Espinoza, with the Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance, says some Hispanic immigrants are hesitant about taking the vaccine because they believe the government will track their citizenship. “We work really hard to try to make them understand to not be scared because everybody needs to be in the same path to fight against COVID-19,” says Espinoza.
Health officials say there are no requirements to prove residency to get tested or receive the coronavirus vaccine at the state’s drive-thru sites.
Polling shows Blacks and Hispanics are less likely to trust the coronavirus vaccine. During a recent Department of Health virtual town hall on COVID-19 vaccinations, health experts addressed concerns. Dr. Leandro Mena with the University of Mississippi Medical Center says 10 percent of participants in the Moderna vaccine trial identified as Hispanic. “So it was important to know and to learn how effective, how safe these vaccines were going to be in this population who are needing vaccines perhaps even more than any other racial [groups], more than Whites where you see the lower mortality,” says Dr. Mena.
The Department of Health has published resources in Spanish, Vietnamese, sign language and easy-to-read text to help inform Mississippians about the coronavirus vaccine.
