60% Of Brooklynites Still Unsure About COVID Vaccine, Study Finds

BROOKLYN, NY — A study showing that as many as three in five Brooklynites are still unsure about the coronavirus vaccine has led to $150,000 in outreach throughout the borough, according to a report.

The Brooklyn Communities Collaborative and the Maimonides Medical Center published a study Friday showing that nearly 60 percent of Brooklyn residents would hesitate or refuse to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, despite the fact that 61 percent were directly affected by the virus.

The results have prompted the organizations to give $150,000 to local charities to help with testing, vaccination and outreach efforts in the borough.

“Understanding how community members are responding — their experiences and concerns, who they trust, and where they go for information — is crucial to ensuring COVID-19 vaccines are distributed effectively and equitably," BCC Executive Director Shari Suchoff said. "This study will be instrumental in making sure these vaccines are accessible to those who need them most, and that the diverse voices of community members are heard and reflected in our COVID-19 outreach efforts."

Brooklyn as a whole has lagged behind the other four boroughs in its vaccination rate since the start of the city's distribution. As of Friday, 34 percent of Brooklyn adults had received at least one dose of the vaccine, well below Manhattan's 48-percent rate and slightly below the 39-percent citywide number, according to city data.

In some Brooklyn neighborhoods hardest hit by the virus, the vaccination rate remains as low as 25 percent.

Officials trying to close the vaccine disparity have pointed to several factors, including hesitance to get the shot based on distrust of the government and lack of access given "healthcare deserts.

This week's study found that about 75 percent of those that said they remain unsure about the vaccine were worried about side effects. About 46 percent noted concerns about how fast it was produced and 26 percent checked off concerns about a “history of harmful medical experimentation on people,” according to the study.

The study found that 41 percent of Brooklynites surveyed knew a family member or friend who had contracted coronavirus and 21 percent have had it themselves.

Here's a look at more results:

• 61% of respondents said they had been directly affected by COVID-19, with 41% reporting that a family member or friend had contracted the virus and 21% reporting that they contracted the virus themselves.
• 60% of respondents said they do not intend to be vaccinated or remain unsure, mainly due to concerns about side effects (74.6%), the speed at which the vaccine was produced (45.9%), or the “history of harmful medical experimentation on people” (26.1%).
• When asked to identify which sources they trusted most for information about COVID-19, the majority of respondents selected medical professionals (79.5%), followed by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (50.9%) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (49%).
• When asked to identify the most effective way of disseminating information about testing and vaccines to the public, more than half of respondents selected healthcare providers (57.9%).
• 55.4% of respondents reported being tested for COVID-19, mainly because they were exposed to someone who tested positive (41.4%), they were not feeling well (36.1%), or the test was mandated by their employer (24.9%).
• When asked in an open-ended format about how the testing experience could be improved, many respondents expressed a need for greater accessibility to testing sites and improved efficiency in the testing process.

Here's where the $150,000, provided by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, will be distributed:

• Arab American Family Support Center
• Air NYC
• Bay Ridge Center
• Brownsville Multi-Serivce Family Health and Wellness Centers
• Anne Kastor Brooklyn Free Clinic
• Brooklyn Perinatal Network
• CAMBA
• The Code Foundation
• Chinese American Planning Council
• Caribbean Women’s Health Association
• Elite Learners
• Haitian American Community Coalition
• Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island