The majority of Mississippians say they are likely to get the coronavirus vaccine, but some are are still opposed to the shot. National health officials are working with the state to build trust in the vaccines.
The Mississippi Department of Health has released preliminary data from an ongoing survey asking Mississippians their thoughts on the coronavirus vaccines. The results show that 72% of survey participants are planning to be vaccinated. But half of African Americans surveyed say they are unsure or do not want to get the shot. During a virtual panel hosted by Tougaloo College, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, talked about the impact of COVID-19 on minorities in Mississippi. He says faith in the vaccine needs to be fostered while respecting the reservations some people may have. "So one of the things that we have been trying to do is reach out to the African American community to convince them that when a vaccine does become available, that they get vaccinated. Not only for their own health, but for that of their family, as well as for their community," says Dr. Fauci. "So we have a very serious challenge ahead of us, but I think we can overcome that."
Reported first and second doses of vaccines by age and date- MSDH
The survey data also show who is the most trusted source of vaccine information. White Mississippians trust the Department of Health, CDC and family members. Hispanics trust Dr. Fauci and the National Institutes of Health, and African Americans trust leaders in their church. State Health Officer, Dr. Thomas Dobbs, says the state is building on the local partnerships that have community trust. "Some of our local folks, St. Dominics has done a good job of bringing vaccines to Black churches and to the homeless. Hattiesburg Clinic and the City of Jackson is gonna start vaccinating in the community where people live," says Dr. Dobbs. "This is just an example of some of the ones that are going forward, and we've got a big partnership with the City of Jackson. I won't give away their information, but be expecting to see something exciting out of the City of Jackson very soon."
The Department of Health's vaccination survey is available online in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
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