New Campaign Seeks to Address Black Communities’ Concerns About COVID-19 Vaccines

Black people are much more likely than other Americans to contract, be hospitalized for, and die from COVID-19. Yet they have one of the lowest vaccination rates among racial or ethnic groups — a product, in part, of mistrust rooted in a long history of structural racism and medical mistreatment. A new campaign, THE CONVERSATION: Between Us, About Us, is aiming to bridge the information gap between Black communities and trusted health experts. In a series of videos, Black doctors, nurses, and researchers from across the U.S. openly discuss Black Americans’ questions and concerns about the COVID-19 vaccines. The campaign, developed by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and the Black Coalition Against COVID as part of an effort to help save Black lives during this pandemic, is supported by the Commonwealth Fund, the California Health Care Foundation, and the Sierra Health Foundation.