UAB And JeffCo To Expand Vaccine Outreach In Underrepresented Communities
Black residents in Jefferson County remain disproportionately underrepresented when it comes to getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
Data released by UAB in February showed that out of the 59,167 vaccination doses administered, only about 21% of vaccine recipients identified as Black.
As of Wednesday, UAB had administered roughly 80,000 vaccine doses, but Dr. Sarah Nafziger, vice president of UAB’s Clinical Support Services, said the racial breakdown remains essentially the same.
“Are we satisfied where we are right now? No, we’re not. We feel like we can do more. And we’re going to do more. We’re planning to do more,” she said. “We’re going to keep moving forward, and I know that we’re going to be able to reach even more in the underrepresented groups.”
Nafziger said UAB plans to focus on vaccinating more Black residents in Jefferson County through “new community offerings.” What exactly that’ll include isn’t clear. But Nafziger said UAB wants to focus on individuals who don’t have access to transportation, and they plan to partner with the county health department to target zip codes that aren’t being reached.
Only one of UAB’s four vaccination sites is located in a predominately-Black neighborhood. The Parker High School site offers vaccination appointments and a walk-up option. But Nafziger said there have been some problems.
“We have had some people lining up really early in the morning – while I’m still asleep in bed,” Nafziger said. “Because of that – that’s one of the reasons that we’re looking at our strategies. We’re trying to find ways to get rid of extensive lines and extensive cues.”
Beginning on Monday, the Parker High School vaccination site will expand its hours of operation from 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. in an effort to vaccinate more people.
UAB has been notified that it’ll receive more vaccines, but the exact number isn’t clear, Nafziger said.
“We want to be efficient in vaccine delivery and we want to be equitable in vaccine delivery. Those are our overarching guiding principles in getting this vaccine out,” Nafziger said. “So we feel like we’ve done a great job with doing both of those things. We still have more work to do.”
Editor’s Note: UAB holds WBHM’s broadcast license, but our news and business departments operate independently.
Light from satellites will ruin majority of some space telescope images, study says
Astronomers have long been concerned about reflections from satellites showing up in images taken by telescopes and other scientific instruments.
Defense Department is reviewing boat strike video for possible release, Hegseth says
In a speech on Saturday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the strikes, saying: "President Trump can and will take decisive military action as he sees fit to defend our nation's interests."
Bama, Miami in, Notre Dame out and Indiana No. 1 in College Football Playoff rankings
Nobody paying attention for the past 24 months would be surprised to see Indiana – yes, Indiana – leading the way into this year's College Football Playoff.
McLaren’s Lando Norris wins first F1 title at season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Red Bull driver and defending champion Max Verstappen won the race with Norris placing third, which allowed Norris to finish two points ahead of Verstappen in the season-long standings.
A ban on feeding pigeons ruffles lots of feathers in Mumbai
The pigeon population has exploded — a result of people feeding the birds. For some it's a holy duty and a way to connect to nature. Critics point to health risks tied to exposure to pigeon droppings.
UN humanitarian chief: world needs to ‘wake up’ and help stop violence in Sudan
The UN's top humanitarian and emergency relief official has told NPR that the lack of attention from world leaders to the war in Sudan is the "billion dollar question".
