Mass Vaccination Clinic In Aurora Spotlights Racial Inequities

AURORA, IL — The coronavirus vaccine rollout has been beset by racial disparities in Kane County, with Black and Latino residents receiving doses at much lower rates than white residents.

Just 2.78 percent of doses have been given to Black residents, who make up about 6 percent of Kane County’s population. Latino residents have received about 11.1 percent of all doses administered, despite representing nearly a third of the county’s population, according to public health data and U.S. Census data.

White residents received nearly 73 percent of all doses administered in Kane County as of Monday, though they make up about 57 percent of the county's population.

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A mass vaccination clinic Tuesday morning in Aurora took direct aim at evening out those racial disparities, with more than 700 Black residents receiving a coronavirus vaccine. Black Vax Aurora, a newly formed coalition of Black churches and organizations, coordinated the clinic with Mayor Richard Irvin, public health officials and VNA Health Care.

Speaking ahead of the clinic Tuesday morning at the Cathedral of Grace St. John AME Church, Irvin applauded Black Vax Aurora for its “direct goal of ensuring equity in the vaccination-distribution process.”

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"'Since minority populations, particularly Brown and Black people, clearly have a greater risk of getting infected and a greater risk of serious disease, we’ve got to get the vaccines to them in an equitable manner,'" Irvin said, quoting infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci.

“The reality is we are here today because that isn't happening, and we must make it a priority — our mission — to make it happen,” Irvin said.

Theodia Gillespie, president and CEO of the Quad County Urban League, highlighted longstanding racial inequities that have led to disproportionately high death rate in Black communities since the start of the coronavirus pandemic nearly a year ago.

Many Black residents have comorbidities, lack health insurance and access to health care services, or live in housing that makes social distancing impossible, Gillespie said.

In many cases, those risk factors are exacerbated by low-wage jobs that can’t be done from home, require interaction with the public and rely on public transportation, she said.

“In light of these truths, our pastors (and) community-based organizations demanded a call to action, and our city and counties responded,” Gillespie said.

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Irvin commended the Black Vax Aurora for registering hundreds of Black residents and reaching the event’s capacity in under a day, but he also acknowledged some are hesitant to take “government vaccines.”

“Clearly the demand (for vaccines) is there, but we also know the distrust, mistrust and hesitancy is also there with our Black community — and to some extent, it may be justified,” Irvin said.

“But one thing (that) will make our community comfortable is seeing others that look like us speak with facts about the vaccine and take it ourselves,” Irvin said. “So today, we come together to do all of that and more.”

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The partnership between Black Vax Aurora, VNA Health Care and Aurora officials is a “model” for successful local outreach to vulnerable residents, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said, calling it “best-in-class.”

“The Black Vax Aurora initiative is an amazing example of this tremendous work to overcome these challenges,” Pritzker said. “People are more likely to get vaccinated when they hear about it from people that they trust. By working with pastors and other community leaders, Aurora is recognizing and respecting that reality, and I commend you for that.”

To build on Black Vax Aurora’s efforts to make the vaccination process more equitable, Aurora officials are “actively planning” a second clinic for Latino residents on March 19 and a third event for residents who have disabilities on March 25, Irvin said.

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Officials will also work with the Illinois Department of Public Health to secure mobile vaccination clinics to reach vulnerable residents in the coming weeks.

Aurora has recorded more than 19,000 coronavirus cases and 243 related deaths, Irvin said Tuesday.