African Americans are nearly three times more likely to die of COVID-19 than Whites – yet fewer than half of them say they will take the vaccine, according to the Pew Research Centre.
But the urgency could hardly be greater with the US death toll from coronavirus topping 430 000.
The vaccines have arrived but millions of African Americans say they won’t be taking them. “I don’t think there’s been enough testing.” says one. Another adds, “I might take it but I’m hesitant.”
Mistrust is particularly high in the communities after historical medical abuses of black people by federal health officials. Kate Fisher reports from Washington:
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