Meeting the people where they are
Two community institutions partner to administer COVID-19 vaccines
By Harry Colbert, Jr., editor-in-chief
Cities such as Los Angeles and St. Louis have reinstituted indoor mask mandates amid rising COVID-19 numbers and surging hospitalization rates, especially among younger individuals.
With the more transmissible and insidious Delta variant of the virus now present, state and county health officials are working to vaccinate as many Minnesotans as possible, but with reluctance and misinformation abounding, that task has presented many unique challenges. While Hennepin County has an overall vaccination rate of 72 percent for individuals 16 years old and older, in North Minneapolis those numbers are substantially lower. As of July 21, in the 55411 zip code, 11,411 people have been fully vaccinated and 10,639 in 55412. That comes to just 41 percent for 55411 and 48 percent for 55412.
Recognizing the urgent need to get shots in arms, some traditional community hubs partnered to offer vaccines in the most nontraditional manner.
On Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Wilson’s Image Barbers and Stylists, 2124 ½ West Broadway Ave., residents can get vaccinated inside a mobile clinic operated by the Minnesota Department of Health and staffed by professionals representing Black Nurses Rock. The effort is a collaboration between Wilson’s Image, the Stairstep Foundation, Black Nurses Rock and the Minnesota Department of Health.
This UCare mobile clinic is parked outside of Wilson’s Image Barbers and Stylists every Friday and Saturday until Aug. 21 providing COVID-19 vaccines to area residents. Photo by Harry Colbert, Jr.
“In many ways I’m fulfilling my responsibility to the Black community,” said Teto Wilson, proprietor of Wilson’s Image. “What we’re doing here is providing access to both the vaccine and information about the vaccine and the virus. And we’re right here in community so we’re removing that barrier of access to a health institution.”
Wilson said traditionally barbers in the Black community have an earned trust and he’s leveraging that trust to assist in the vaccination effort.
“I think I’ve built up a level of trust and we have Black health professionals here so that offers another level of trust and familiarity,” said Wilson.
“Churches, like barbers, are community anchors, so we made it a point to come together to vaccinate our community,” said the Rev. Alfred Babington-Johnson, president and CEO of Stairstep Foundation.
Babington-Johnson said connecting with community at familiar gathering spots helps to disarm individuals of their misgivings regarding the vaccine.
“It’s not about waiting on the people. At some point you’ve got to go to where the people are,” said Babington-Johnson. “Over the year we’ve vaccinated close to 5,700 people. This is all about community building.”
Beverly Proses, a registered nurse and public health nurse, said having familiar faces guiding people through the ins and outs of COVID and the vaccines helps to ease fears and tamp down misinformation.
“When I offer materials for the people to read, I make sure the materials have images of people of color. Several years ago a lot of the brochures and materials didn’t even have that,” said Proses. “When we’re talking about this virus, the vaccines and health in general, it’s all about education and how you present the information.”
The mobile vaccine clinics will run on Fridays and Saturdays until Aug. 21 with a chance that it may be extended.
“We’re not going to have someone come on the 21st for their first dose and then not be there for them when it’s time to get their second dose,” said Wilson.