Quad City health officials provided updates to the vaccination in the area and held a discussion with two community leaders on the status of the vaccination process in minority communities.
In Rock Island County, Janet Hill, chief operating officer of the RICO Health Department announced that more than 82,000 vaccines had been distributed in the area, with almost 35,000 at the status of full vaccination.
Hill remarks that vaccine supply is solid, and that there are plenty of opportunities to get a shot by making an appointment with various organizations.
Amy Thoreson, director of the Scott County Health Department, then began the discussion on the nature of vaccination procedure in communities of color,, and how they have bared the greatest burden of the pandemic.
Thoreson notes that COVID-19 impacts people with underlying health conditions more severely, which presents a pressing problem when coupled alongside statistics showing that communities of color, especially African-Americans and Hispanics, are more likely to have such conditions due to inequities in the healthcare system.
Thoreson said that the key to alleviating this issue, especially at a local level, is to push information COVID-19 in minority spaces and provide people with access to experts from communities of color and the answers to the public's questions.
The officials then held an extended discussion on the topic with Rev. Steve Perkins, pastor of Bethel AME Church in Davenport, and Toni Robertson, vice president, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Council 10 in Davenport.
