by Dahleen Glanton
For a while, I was able to boast that I didn’t personally know anyone who refused to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Then, I saw an African American friend’s Facebook post.
“So is there anyone else other than me NOT taking the shot(s) or not in a hurry to take the shot. Just asking,” she wrote.
More than three dozen people raised their hand. Suddenly, I understood why African Americans are lagging behind other Chicagoans in getting the vaccine.
In our city, only 21% of African Americans have received both doses of the vaccine, compared with 39% of whites, 25% of Latinos and 35% of Asians. Across the country, it’s even more dismal.
Only 32% of the total U.S. population is fully vaccinated, according to the CDC. That’s why health officials say we will not reach herd immunity in America anytime soon.
African Americans remain highly vulnerable to this deadly virus, but that won’t stop the country from fully reopening as soon as possible. Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Chicago could completely reopen by the Fourth of July, though just over 32% of its residents are now completely vaccinated.
With business and cultural leaders demanding that the country get back on track for social and economic reasons, cities and states cannot afford not to.
So, the Chicago Auto Show will return in July. The Chicago Symphony is coming back. So are the Lyric Opera and the Goodman Theatre. The Chicago Bears will play in a packed stadium at Soldier Field and bars near Wrigley Field will open to Cubs fans.
In the end, African Americans will again suffer the harshest financial and health consequences of returning to normal while the virus is still a threat. But this time, Blacks and others who refuse protection will have only themselves to blame.
Now that the vaccine is easily accessible to everyone and is expected to soon be available to children as young as 12, it’s reasonable to assume that adults who are still unprotected prefer it that way. The rest of the country, however, isn’t waiting around for them to change their minds.
With such large numbers unvaccinated, health officials warn that another COVID-19 surge could hit this winter. Chief U.S. medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci sort of put it this way: Either you are part of the solution, or you’re part of the problem.
Even as health officials set new vaccination goals, everyone seems ready to move on.
If Chicago continues to see a downward spiral of COVID-19 cases, Lightfoot said the city could return to hosting big festivals, concerts and other events this summer. Residents, however, are listening with both optimism and skepticism.
We know that too many African Americans and young people still risk exposure to the virus and could spread it to others. That will make it much harder to keep the virus at bay.
The good thing is that Lightfoot is thinking outside the box. And she’s not going to entirely turn her back on large segments of the population that have fallen behind.
Racial equity remains a priority in Chicago. Specially equipped CTA buses are being dispatched to deliver vaccines in high-risk neighborhoods. And the city is reaching out to young people in a way that just might cause them to respond.
Last Wednesday, the city announced a series of concerts open only to Chicagoans who can document that they are fully vaccinated. The first, featuring rappers DJ Ron Trent and Duane Powell, clearly is geared toward young African Americans.
Soon, Chicago plans to offer a vaccination passport, or “Vax Pass,” for certain events, though it’s not clear how officials will guard against forgeries. The city also will award free haircuts, manicures and other services in exchange for vaccinations.
Some cities are going further. They’re raffling off all-terrain vehicles, handing out beer and marijuana at vaccination sites and offering $100 in cash to people who take the shots. Research shows that incentives, particularly financial ones, work.
When I asked my Facebook friend why she refuses to get the vaccine, she said she has already contracted COVID-19 and so have most of her family members. They live on Chicago’s South Side, which was severely impacted by the virus last year.
She is wrong, however, to think that she and her relatives are immune to the virus. The CDC recommends that those who recovered from COVID-19 be vaccinated because it is uncertain how long they are protected from getting sick.
Most of the reasons her friends gave for refusing the vaccine also were based on misinformation.
I asked if a cash payment or other incentive would help change her mind.
“I’ve heard about some of that and have said to myself, ‘Now you’re talking,’ especially when it comes to the cash incentives,” she said. “We’ll see.”
Of course, we shouldn’t have to bribe people to take care of themselves or to keep from infecting others. But I’m in favor of doing whatever it takes to be able to sit on the lawn at Millennium Park this summer and listen to some blues.
Dahleen Glanton is a columnist for the Chicago Tribune.
