Barriers to Taking the COVID-19 Vaccine Among the African American Community in Oakland
“From the Voices of the People Most Impacted”
In July 2021, the rise in COVID Delta variant cases requiring hospitalization across the nation is alarming.
Data demonstrates that most patients are from unvaccinated people, yet many refuse to get vaccinated
despite the abundance of vaccines. There is an urgent need for intervention to raise awareness and
elevate community education and engagement to change the narrative.
While political campaigns and governmental mandates are sometimes effective, at this unprecedented era,
community accountability and personal responsibility put everyone at risk when personal choices are not
personal. The survey on barriers to taking the COVID-19 vaccine addressed the community's resistance to
receiving it, willingness to take it, and preference on where to receive it. Demographic
and geographical information such as gender age, and zip code of where respondents live are
collected. Table 1 shows the total number of participants in the study from March through May 2021.
Super Kid Saves the Day
California’s COVID-19 State of Emergency is over, but COVID-19 has not gone away. To safely go about our daily lives, we need to keep taking steps to prevent the spread. California continues to focus on the safety and well-being of children and students.