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COVID-19 In Pennsylvania: Health Care Workers In Underserved Communities Get Vaccine To Build Trust

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WDKA CBS NEWS —  In a multipronged effort to prioritize the biggest impact among Phase 1A groups, UPMC vaccinated workers with The Violence Prevention Initiative, the Neighborhood Resilience Project, and Casa San Jose at their South Side clinic. By getting community advocates inoculated, UPMC hopes to fight vaccine hesitancy in vulnerable, often minority populations, where COVID-19 has had a disproportionately terrible effect.

BCHS's Richard Garland got the vaccine. “It was like taking a flu shot for me,” said Garland who is part of the COVID-19 Black Equity Coalition. “The more I look at the numbers in the increase of people that are contacting COVID-19, the more (people) I’m trying to get to take this shot.”

It’s not only COVID-19 but other underlying health issues that have impacted the neighborhoods they know best. That’s why vaccination is a show-and-tell process, to educate and make information available to those looking for it. To let them know although it affects everybody differently, it’s safe.

 

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See also:

  • Next Pittsburgh, "PA expands vaccine eligibility to ages 65 and older; UPMC vaccinates workers serving vulnerable populations"
  • Good Morning America, "Pittsburgh Hospital Vaccinates Under-resourced Communities"

About The Violence Prevention Initiative

A project of the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, the Violence Prevention Initiative provides holistic services for people who have been incarcerated, helping them re-enter their communities and avoid returning to jail. The Violence Prevention Initiative provides mentoring, workforce development and training, family reunification education and housing assistance planning. They’ve partnered for workforce training in fields ranging from manufacturing to food service to construction.

 



2/01/2021
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