Doctor: Black, Latino patients 'most concerned' about COVID-19 vaccine; Susan Moore case shows why - Yahoo Finance

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The U.S. is racing to administer COVID-19 vaccines across the country to frontline workers and the elderly, but it’s coming up against mistrust — particularly among people of color.

According to one New York City doctor, it’s vital to address concerns about systemic racism as a matter of public health — and not just for people of color, but for everyone.

“The individuals that are most concerned that I found in my clinic are my African-American and Latino patients,” Dr. Stella Safo, an HIV primary-care physician and co-founder of Vote Health, told Yahoo Finance live in an interview.

Those groups “are really worried and have had a history of being more doubtful about some of the safety around certain medications and treatments from the health care system,” she added.

As a Black physician, that is something that I feel a lot of responsibility, to provide information so that those patients feel particularly comforted as they’re making the decision about taking the vaccine or not.”

Black Americans are 1.4 more times as likely to be diagnosed with coronavirus as whites — but 3.7 more times as likely to be hospitalized, and 2.8 times as likely to die from the disease, according to Centers for Disease Control data.

Meanwhile, coronavirus cases are 1.7 times as likely among the Latino population, while hospitalization and death rates are at 4.1 times and 2.8 times, respectively.

‘I can barely get treated correctly’

Public attitude toward covid-19 vaccines is shifting. A new USA Today/Suffolk University Poll found that 46% of respondents would get a shot as soon as they could, compared with 26% at the end of October. However, pockets of skepticism, especially among communities of color, have experts concerned about mass inoculating the public.

The case of Dr. Susan Moore, a Black doctor who was hospitalized for coronavirus, was discharged, and died, is illustrative and alarming, according to Dr. Safo.

Before she became too ill to speak, the Indiana-based doctor posted a video to Facebook, saying she was not receiving adequate treatment. She believed that would not have occurred if she were white.

“When people see the story of Dr. Moore, they think, well, I can barely get treated correctly. What makes me think the vaccine is for me,” Dr. Safo said.

When it comes to public health and coronavirus, everyone has a stake in ensuring equitable and adequate medical treatment.

“This is what we talk about when we talk about racism: It’s heavy for the entire society, because if individuals are scared to engage with public health measures like taking a vaccine, we don’t get to herd immunity, none of us are safe,” the physician added.

One million doses of the Pfizer (PFE)-BioNtech (BNTX) vaccine have been administered — but that’s a far cry from the 20 million-dose government target by the end of December, though there may be a lag in the data. The Moderna (MRNA) vaccine just began to be given this week, so those numbers aren’t yet included.

While the vaccine has signaled the beginning of an end to the pandemic, experts warn that herd immunity likely won’t be reached for many months. Dr. Safo said wearing masks and practicing social distancing is still integral to public health.

“Heading into the holidays, it’s just a depressing time. Nothing feels the same, and I have a bunch of patients coming with food insecurity,” the doctor added. “As a clinician, you feel sadness at how much we’ve lost this year. But there is hope.”

Julie Hyman is the co-anchor of Yahoo Finance Live, weekdays 9am-11am ET.

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