Walgreens conducts a walk-in clinic on the city's north side in response to racial disparities in COVID-19 vaccine distribution - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Buy Photo Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes speaks during the Walgreens COVID-19 vaccine equity clinic at Milwaukee's Destiny High School, 7210 N. 76th St., on Saturday, April 17. The clinics are part of Walgreens COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Initiative to accelerate equitable access for underserved communities.
(Photo: Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)Walgreens, in partnership with state officials and faith-based organizations, opened a walk-in COVID-19 vaccine clinic Saturday on the city's north side as part of its Vaccine Equity Initiative.
The clinic, at Destiny High School, 7210 N. 76th St., was one of 13 off-site equity clinics Walgreens has conducted in the Milwaukee area.
"Off-site clinics are the cornerstone of Walgreens Vaccine Equity Initiative, which centers on providing education and information that addresses vaccine hesitancy and builds confidence in vaccines," said Johana Viteri, regional vice president at Walgreens.
Track COVID and the vaccine in Wisconsin:See the latest data on cases, deaths and administered doses
Walgreens has administered 12 million vaccinations and Wisconsin leads the nation in vaccinations at Walgreens stores.
"Just because we are leading the nation, it does not mean it is time to stop yet, we have to go all the way through the finish line," Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes said Saturday from the Destiny High School site. "We have to make sure we get our entire population vaccinated so we can end the devastation of this deadly virus."
Early in the pandemic, the north and south sides of Milwaukee emerged as epicenters of the coronavirus pandemic — with Black and brown communities disproportionately affected. These communities have also lagged when it comes to getting shots in arms.
According to the Department of Health Services, only 17% of Black residents have received at least one dose, the lowest among all racial groups, compared to roughly 37% of white residents.
Buy Photo George Bullock of Milwaukee gets his first of two Moderna vaccine shots by Walgreens pharmacist Nicky Maillis during the Walgreens COVID-19 vaccine equity clinic at Destiny High School, 7210 N. 76th St., Saturday, April 17. The clinics are part of Walgreens COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Initiative to accelerate equitable access for underserved communities.
(Photo: Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)The same disparities are found at the county level, where a little more than 23,000 Latino residents and roughly 18,000 Black residents have received one dose compared to roughly 42,000 white residents, according to the Milwaukee County COVID-19 dashboard.
"This is due in part to some of the same preexisting inequities that had existed for so long and have led to such disparate outcomes when it comes to contracting this virus," Barnes said. "The lack of access to transportation, paid time off, child care, broadband, these are all factors that contribute to these gaps."
RELATED: Milwaukee put race front and center as it tracks COVID-19's toll, helping shape a national conversation on racism as a public health crisis
Walgreens partnered with different faith-based organizations in order to help get the word out about its vaccine equity clinics.
Christian Faith Fellowship Church Bishop Darrell Hines attended the clinic Saturday and declared he had reached the conclusion that he was indeed going to get the shot.
"Like the lieutenant governor said, I was a little reluctant about getting the shot myself, but I made up in my mind today that I am going to get the shot. I want to see our community healed, I want to see our city healed," Hines said.
Contact Drake Bentley at (414) 722-3811 or DBentley1@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @drake_bentley.
Read or Share this story: https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2021/04/17/walgreens-opens-vaccine-equity-walk-clinic-milwaukee-north-side/7270402002/
Comments
Post a Comment