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THREAD: I learned a lot this week about how the #COVID19 vaccine is (and isn't) rolling out in #Chicago.
For one, there are a lot of health care workers who are hesitant to get a shot.
About a quarter of people eligible to be first in line for a vaccine have gotten one.
For one, there are a lot of health care workers who are hesitant to get a shot.
About a quarter of people eligible to be first in line for a vaccine have gotten one.
Consider some of the small hospitals that mainly treat low-income people of color, those disproportionately hit hardest by #COVID19.
At South Shore Hospital: less than 20% of workers say they would take the shot.
At Loretto & Norwegian American hospitals: both around 50%.
At South Shore Hospital: less than 20% of workers say they would take the shot.
At Loretto & Norwegian American hospitals: both around 50%.
Even big health systems aren't seeing a lot of demand.
At University of Chicago Med Center on the South Side: around 60% of those eligible got a shot.
At AMITA Health, a little less than 50%.
At University of Chicago Med Center on the South Side: around 60% of those eligible got a shot.
At AMITA Health, a little less than 50%.
Why? For hospitals like South Shore, the majority of both their workers & patients are Black. There's a history of haunting medical experimentation on Black people. And national polls have shown many Black Americans are hesitant to get the #COVID19 vaccine.
In other cases, health care workers don't want to be the first to get the vaccine. As someone told me, some folks want to make sure those who get a shot don't grow a third eye.
So, with extra doses sitting in an ultra cold freezer, or getting through the list of those eligible faster than expected, some hospitals in Chicago want to move on to those next in line: the elderly and certain groups of front-line essential workers, like teachers.
The problem is those low vaccination numbers for the first group prioritized for the #COVID19 vaccine. This includes health care workers, as well as nursing home residents & staff.
So, several leaders of prominent Chicago area hospitals and health systems met w/Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Wednesday.
The goal: Get more health care workers to roll up their sleeves, so hospitals can move on to those next in line: elderly & some essential workers.
The goal: Get more health care workers to roll up their sleeves, so hospitals can move on to those next in line: elderly & some essential workers.
This won't be easy. But some of the ideas involve reaching out to independent doctors, small practices and others who don't work for a hospital. They don't have as much access to a vaccine.
