Officials Want More Black Lorain County Residents Vaccinated

AVON LAKE, OH — More than 11 percent of Lorain County residents have been partially vaccinated for COVID-19, according to the Ohio Department of Health, but the vast majority of those residents are white.

Since the vaccine rollout began, 35,875 Lorain County residents have received at least the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The majority of vaccine recipients have been 80 or older, with 8,807 residents in that age group starting the vaccine process.

The vast majority of vaccine recipients (approximately 80 percent) in Lorain County are white, with more than 29,000 of the county's recipients identifying as white. Only 918 Black Lorain County residents have started the vaccination process, according to state data.

Based on state health department data, approximately 4,800 Lorain County residents who either declined to identify their race or identify as "other" have started the vaccine process.

According to the U.S. Census, Lorain County has 309,833 residents and is 9 percent Black (approximately 27,800 Black residents).

Lorain County Public Health is aware of the vaccine distribution disparity and is working to improve its outreach to minority communities, Health Commissioner Dave Covell told Patch.

The health system has scheduled five vaccination clinics at churches in predominantly minority neighborhoods. Church leaders issue invitations to their congregants and members of the community, urging them to come and receive the vaccine. The clinics are otherwise not advertised.

"We’re still only vaccinating people who are eligible. We just need to get people into the churches and make them feel safe," Covell said.

On Wednesday, the first vaccination clinic at a church in Lorain County was held. Approximately 300 people received the vaccine during the session.

Covell has also been active in the media, spreading a message of hope and comfort. He has partnered with Lorain County Urban League and has been doing radio and TV spots to counter vaccine misinformation.

With America's history of abusing faith in medical establishments to perform deadly experiments on minority communities, Covell knows there's an understandable trust deficit when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine. But the vaccine is safe and it is the best protection against a virus that is disproportionately killing people of color, he said.

"My message is this: my Mom is 89. She is now vaccinated. My daughter works in a medical facility. She is vaccinated. I would never let my mother and daughter get vaccinated if I didn’t think it was safe. When it’s my turn, I’ll get vaccinated. I can’t wait to hug my Mom again. This is how we get out of this pandemic," he said.