NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — With Virginia now in phase 1b of vaccine distribution in certain health districts, many are closer to making a decision about whether to get that shot in the arm.
It can be a tough decision, especially for those in the minority community. who are well aware of the nation’s racist past in medicine.
Verneeta Williams is a mother of two boys and has a challenging career that requires long and unpredictable hours.
Before getting the coronavirus vaccine she consulted with three very important people in her life.
“I had to also ask my doctor who’s really a good friend of mine; I had to talk to my mom and church community kind of figure out where are we as people in all of this,” Williams said.
By the way, that’s Dr. Verneeta Williams of Riverside Brentwood Medical Center in Newport News. She has been on the front line of the pandemic from the beginning, taking care of patients, many of them minorities, who’ve been infected with the potentially deadly virus.
Some survive and sadly, some don’t. The pandemic has created multi-generational problems for many Black families.
“I had a situation in the office where there were eight children in one household. The elderly mother became ill; she was admitted to the hospital and unfortunately, she didn’t make it. We had to test all of the people in the family including the boyfriend who would come into the household.,” Williams said.
As the nation approaches the one-year anniversary of the pandemic, Dr. Williams has this advice: When she shows you what the COVID-19 numbers are, believe them.
“I have to consider in the Black community and in brown communities, COVID is rampant — 3 to 4% chance of being hospitalized and 3 to 4 more chances of dying from COVID. Those are real numbers that are a reality, not just what I read about, but what I see” Williams said.
Dr. Williams says the name of the Trump administration’s vaccine program,”Warp Speed,” has negative connotations, suggesting the development of the vaccine was rushed.
However she encourages minorities to get the vaccine, saying it is safe and effective.
Phase 1b, which includes frontline workers and now those over 65 and those with co-morbidities, has only started in certain health districts in the state, but is expected to be across the board in Hampton Roads soon. More information on where and when to go to get your COVID-19 vaccine will be released by your local health district.
