Transportation, the Internet, and Tuskegee

The Miami Herald reported some pretty damning statistics about the distribution of the vaccine in Miami Dade County.  "Upwards of 45% of Miami Dade County 65 years and older have received their first vaccine shot.  If you are Black and 65 years or older only about 8% have received their first shot in Miami Dade and statewide less than 6% of the Black population over 65 years old have received their first shot.

The Miami Herald interviewed folks living in West Perrine, a South Dade Neighborhood that is over 50% Black.  Even though the neighborhood is near the Metrozoo, it is only giving shots on a drive thru basis and there are no walk ups at this time.  Appointments are arranged over the internet or by telephone at this time further complicating the situation.  There is a small clinic operating in the neighborhood and many residents are still leary of vaccines because of the infamous Tuskegee Experiment.

The Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male, (informally referred to as the "Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment," the "Tuskegee Syphilis Study," the "Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the African American Male," the "U.S. Public Health Service Syphilis Study at Tuskegee," or the "Tuskeegee Experiment") was an unethical natural history study conducted between 1932 and 1972 by the United States Public Health Service (PHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

I know the neighborhood, I supervised a small office that provided employment services in the neighborhood.

I've received my first shot, signing up for it was the most time consuming and frustrating part of the process.  I have a laptop computer, joined twitter for early heads up about vaccine availability and it was just a short walk to public transportation and the JMH Clinic, it was 2/8/2021.  I look forward to returning to a more normal routine soon.

As Jackson Health Services expands the populations that are eligible to get the vaccine to ages 55 and older with health it must continue to do more outreach to the underserved and largely forgotten neighborhoods that are off the beaten track in Miami Dade County.