TEST.
FRANCO.
>> WELCOME TO "NOON WEDNESDAY,"
I'M MARISA WOJCIK, MULTI-MEDIA
JOURNALIST WITH "HERE AND NOW"
ON PBS WISCONSIN.
TODAY IS FEBRUARY 24TH.
THE ROLLOUT OF THE COVID-19
VACCINE HAS BEEN A BUMPY ROAD SO
FAR FOR MANY AND DESPITE AN
EARLY AND INTENTIONAL FOCUS ON
RACIAL AND ETHNIC EQUITY IN THE
DISTRIBUTION OF THE VACCINE,
THERE ARE DAILY CHALLENGES FOR
HEALTH OFFICIALS THAT THEY FACE.
DR. ZENO FRANCO, ASSOCIATE
PROFESSOR OF FAMILY AND
COMMUNITY MEDICINE FROM THE
MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN
JOINS US TODAY TO TALK ABOUT
WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE ON THE
GROUND AND DR. FRANCO, THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
I WANT TO START BY ASKING YOU,
IN THE BEGINNING STAGES OF THE
ROLLOUT, HEALTHCARE PO
PROFESSIONALS WERE PREDICTING
THAT SOME COMMUNITIES WOULD BE
WARY OUT OF HISTORICAL AND
SYSTEMIC MISTRUST.
IS THIS WHAT YOU HAVE FOUND IN
REALITY AS YOU AND YOUR
COLLABORATORS HAVE BEEN TALKING
TO PEOPLE?
>> SURE, THOSE ARE GOOD POINTS
AND AREAS OF CONCERN TO WORK ON
AS A COMMUNITY.
ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK WE ARE FINDING NOT JUST
IN MINORITY COMMUNITIES OR
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, BUT
THROUGHOUT THERE ARE FOLKS IN
THE MILITARY, THERE ARE
TEACHERS, THERE ARE PUBLIC
OFFICIALS ALL SKEPTICAL OF
GETTING THE VACCINE.
AND SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR
US TO HAVE A COMMUNITY-WIDE
CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW THE
VACCINE WORKS, WHAT IT DOES TO
YOU, WHAT IT DOESN'T DO, WHAT
THE SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS ARE.
WHAT THE POTENTIAL SIDE EFFECTS
ARE AND BEING ABSOLUTELY AS OPEN
AS WE CAN ABOUT THE SCIENCE SO
THAT WE GET TO WHERE PEOPLE ARE
AS COMFORTABLE AS POSSIBLE.
>> AND WHEN IT COMES
PARTICULARLY TO MARGINALIZED
COMMUNITIES, ARE YOU FINDING
THAT THEY ARE WANTING TO GET THE
VACCINE OR THAT THERE IS A
HESITATION BECAUSE OF HARM THAT
HAS BEEN DONE TO THE COMMUNITIES
IN THE PAST?
>> YEAH, I THINK THESE ARE
REALLY SERIOUS CONCERNS.
CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE TO
ACKNOWLEDGE AND HONOR, FRANKLY.
AND SLOW DOWN, AND REALLY AGAIN,
HAVE A DEEP CONVERSATION ABOUT.
I WORK DIRECTLY WITH MINORITY
COMMUNITIES AND YOU CAN SEE MY
GENERATION AND I'M HISPANIC
PROFESSOR MYSELF SO I THINK
ABOUT MYSELF AS A MINORITY.
INCREASINGLY TRYING TO MOVE TO
THE TERM COMMUNITIES OF COLOR OR
OTHER WAYS OF THINKING ABOUT
THAT.
SO YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN WE ARE
TALKING WITH THESE COMMUNITIES,
WHICH WE ARE DOING ON A WEEKLY
BASIS OR MORE THAN WEEKLY BASIS,
WE ARE FINDING THAT ABOUT 70% OF
PEOPLE IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR
ARE READY TO TAKE THE VACCINE,
ARE ANXIOUS EVEN TO GET IT.
BUT ANOTHER 20% ARE SORT OF
SAYING, 15 OR 20% ARE SAYING
LET'S WAIT AND SEE, IS IT REALLY
SAFE, IS THERE ENOUGH RESEARCH
DATA, AND HAVE THEY VERIFIED IT
WORKS IN THE SAME WAY IN AFRICAN
AMERICANS, SOUTHEAST ASIAN,
NATIVE AMERICAN, THERE ARE SOME
GENETIC DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
DIFFERENT GROUPS, RIGHT?
AND HOW SIDE EFFECT PROFILES
COME OUT CAN BE SOMETIMES
IMPACTED BY THAT.
AND SO WE DON'T HAVE AS MUCH
DATA FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR RIGHT
NOW.
SO I DO THINK THERE IS SOME
WORRY THERE.
I THINK ANOTHER 10 OR 15% OF
FOLKS THAT WE ARE TALKING WITH
SAY I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE IT
BECAUSE THERE'S A HISTORY OF
MISUSE OF BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH IN
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, THERE ARE
THINGS LIKE A STUDY THAT IS
CLEAR AND PRESENT IN THE AFRICAN
AMERICAN COMMUNITY'S MIND, AND
YOU KNOW, WE HEAR ABOUT IT OVER
AND OVER AGAIN IN ONE WAY BUT
PEOPLE DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND
THE IMPACT SOME OF THOSE EVENTS
HAVE HAD IN THE LEVEL OF TRUST
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR HAVE IN THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OR IN BIG
PHARMA, AND SO THOSE ARE COMPLEX
DISCUSSIONS.
IT IS EASY TO GLOSS OVER THEM
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE
TO SLOW DOWN AND TAKE IT
SERIOUSLY.
>> SO YOU SPOKE TO, WHERE THE
RESEARCH MIGHT BE FALLING SHORT
A LITTLE BIT IN REASSURING
PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY IN DIFFERENT
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
BUT YOU ALSO SPECIFICALLY WORK
AGAIN WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
PARTNERS ABOUT VERY SPECIFIC
TARGETED MESSAGING TOWARDS
DIFFERENT GROUPS AND CAN YOU
TELL US ABOUT HOW YOU ARE
ADAPTING THAT MESSAGING FOR
DIFFERENT GROUPS SPECIFIC TO
WHAT THEIR CONCERNS ARE, WHAT
THEIR HISTORIES ARE, WHAT THEIR
CULTURE IS?
>> SURE.
SO ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONCERNS
WE HAVE HEARD OVER AND OVER
AGAIN IS THAT SOMEHOW THIS
VACCINE CAN CHANGE PEOPLE'S
D.N.A.
AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE
HUGE CONCERNS IN THE AFRICAN
AMERICAN COMMUNITY, IT'S FRANKLY
A CONCERN IN THE HISPANIC
COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO SOMETHING
THAT OTHER PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT
BACKGROUNDS, REGARDLESS OF SORT
OF WHAT COMMUNITY THEY ARE FROM
HAVE THAT SAME WORRY THAT
SOMEHOW THEY HAVE HEARD THAT
PART OF THE VIRUS IS BEING USED
AND SOMEHOW IT'S GOING TO
ACTUALLY CHANGE THEIR OWN
PERSONAL GENETIC STRUCTURE.
AND SO WE ACTUALLY HAD A
DISCUSSION WITH DR. PAUL HUNTER
FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH
DEPARTMENT A COUPLE OF WEEKS
AGO, AND WE JUST ASKED HIM WITH
A BUNCH OF COMMUNITY HEALTH
WORKERS FROM DIFFERENT
COMMUNITY, AFRICAN AMERICAN,
HISPANIC, SOUTHEAST ASIAN AND
NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITY, HOW
DOES THE mRNA VACCINE WORK AND
HE BROKE IT DOWN CAREFULLY AND
SIMPLY BUT DID NOT DUMB DOWN THE
SCIENCE.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR DON'T LIKE.
WE ARE SMART, WE GET IT, BUT PUT
IT IN TERMS WE UNDERSTAND.
ONE OF THE KEY THINGS HE SAID,
THE mRNA THAT GOES INTO THE
VACCINE IS PART OF THE REASON
THAT IT HAS TO BE SO COLD IS
BECAUSE IT'S REALLY FRAGILE.
IT BREAKS DOWN VERY QUICKLY.
SO IT'S ONLY PRESENT IN THE CELL
FOR A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME
AND MORE IMPORTANT THAN THAT,
THE mRNA THAT ACTUALLY GENERATES
THE SPIKE PROTEIN ON THE OUTSIDE
OF THE CELL, WHICH CREATES THE
IMMUNE RESPONSE IN THE BODY,
CAN'T ENTER INTO THE CELL
NUCLEUS, WHERE THE D.N.A. IS
STORED, RIGHT?
mRNA GOES OUT OF THE CELL
NUCLEUS, IT DOES NOT COME BACK
IN.
THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST PIECES
OF THAT DISCUSSION WITH DR.
HUNTER AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR
IS JUST AN UNDERSTANDING THAT
THE mRNA FRAGMENT IN THE VACCINE
CAN'T GET INTO THE CELL NUCLEUS.
AND HAVING AN UNDERSTANDING OF
THAT SCIENCE PUTS PEOPLE AT EASE
SO IT'S REALLY AGAIN, IT'S ABOUT
NOT DUMBING DOWN THE MESSAGE,
NOT DUMBING DOWN THE SCIENCE,
MAKING THE SCIENCE AVAILABLE IN
A CONSUMEABLE WAY FOR
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND THAT'S
REALLY WHAT WE ARE HERE TO TRY
TO DO, TO BRIDGE THAT
COMMUNICATION GAP.
>> AND ALONG WITH MESSAGING AND
COMMUNICATION, HOW ARE YOU
REACHING THESE COMMUNITIES?
>> I THINK ONE OF THE KEY THINGS
IS THAT OFTEN TIMES LARGE
AGENCIES, MY OWN INCLUDED,
MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN,
THE CITY, WE THINK WE HAVE ALL
THE KEY ELEMENTS TO DO A
RESPONSE AROUND THE VACCINE, FOR
EXAMPLE.
WE REALLY DON'T.
RIGHT?
WE HAVE TO ACTIVATE COMMUNITIES
OF COLOR TO REALLY ENGAGE IN
WAYS THAT ARE GOING TO BE THE
MOST EFFECTIVE.
SO I'M WORKING RIGHT NOW WITH
SEVERAL COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER
LEADS AND DIFFERENT THINGS WORK
IN DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES.
SO WE HAVE SEVERAL EXAMPLES OF A
COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS
LITERALLY HAVING A LIST OF PHONE
NUMBERS AND REACHING OUT FAMILY
BY FAMILY BY PHONE TO TALK ABOUT
THE VACCINE WITH THE FAMILIES.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE
MEDICAL COLLEGE AND THE CITY
DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO,
WE DON'T REALLY HAVE THE TRUST
IN THE COMMUNITY IN THE SAME
WAY.
BUT THESE COMMUNITY HEALTH
WORKERS ARE LITERALLY WALKING
THAT PHONE LIST DOWN.
SO THAT'S ONE EXAMPLE.
ANOTHER IS REALLY SOME OF THE
COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS HAVE
THEIR OWN Facebook GROUPS OR
THEIR OWN SORT OF WAYS OF
COMMUNICATING THROUGH SOCIAL
MEDIA THAT WE AGAIN AS LARGE
AGENCIES DON'T HAVE ACCESS INTO
THOSE SORT OF PRIVATE GROUPS AND
SOCIAL MEDIA.
AND THAT'S A VERY POWERFUL
TRUSTED WAY FOR THE MESSAGE TO
GET OUT SO THEY ARE ABLE TO TAKE
WHAT WE ARE WORKING ON AND
TRANSLATE IT NOT JUST IN THE
WORDS IN SPANISH, FOR EXAMPLE,
BUT HOW TO REALLY EXPRESS THIS
IN AN EASY TO UNDERSTAND WAY.
>> BEYOND MESSAGING AROUND THE
VACCINE ITSELF AND THE SCIENCE
AROUND IT, WHAT ABOUT ACCESS TO
JUST SCHEDULING A VACCINE AND
GOING TO GET THE ACTUAL VACCINE,
THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF MAKING
THAT ACTUALLY HAPPEN FOR THESE
COMMUNITIES.
>> YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK ONE OF
THE THINGS WE HAVE SEEN IS SOME
REAL CONCERNS AROUND THE AGE
REQUIREMENTS, SO YOU KNOW, IT'S
AN INTERESTING CONVERSATION TO
HAVE, ESPECIALLY WITH, FOR
EXAMPLE, A NATIVE AMERICAN
COMMUNITY.
A LOT OF THE ELDERS THAT WE
THINK ABOUT IN THE NATIVE
COMMUNITY THAT FOLKS ARE REALLY
WORRIED ABOUT FOR A LOT OF
REASONS, CULTURAL PRESERVATION,
LANGUAGE PRESERVATION, THEY JUST
DON'T LAST AS LONG AS THEY MIGHT
IN THE MAJORITY COMMUNITY.
SO THEIR LIFE-SPAN IS NOT AS
LONG BECAUSE OF THE CHRONIC
ILLNESSES THAT ARE COMMON IN THE
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
AND SO THE CONCERN ABOUT 65 PLUS
IS PARTIALLY THAT.
EVEN THAT ASSUMES THAT YOU HAVE
A RELATIVELY LONG LIFE-SPAN.
SO THERE IS DEFINITELY SOME
PRESSURE TO GET PEOPLE
VACCINATED WHO ARE OLDER AND
MAYBE EVEN A LITTLE BIT YOUNGER
THAN 65, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT THE
RULES SAY WE CAN DO RIGHT NOW.
I'M JUST SAYING THERE IS VERY
STRONG DEMAND AT ONE LEVEL FOR
VACCINE AND YOU ARE RIGHT, THAT
PEOPLE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO
FIND SCHEDULING COUNTY AND I
THINK THERE IS SOME FRUSTRATION
AROUND THAT.
THERE ARE ALSO QUESTIONS AROUND
EQUITY OF VACCINE DISTRIBUTION
AND SO YOU KNOW, WE SEE SOME
SENSITIVITIES WHERE PEOPLE MAYBE
THINK SOMEONE HAS GOTTEN
VACCINATED AHEAD OF SOMEONE ELSE
AND THAT'S A BIG CONCERN FOR
THESE COMMUNITIES, AND IT'S NOT
REALLY AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL
PUBLIC.
I THINK THE -- YOU KNOW, THE
LIGHT IS THERE AT THE END OF THE
TUNNEL.
I THINK MARCH 1 THINGS WILL
SHIFT AND SEE A LOT MORE
AVAILABILITY OF THE VACCINE FROM
WHAT I'M HEARING.
AND SO I'M REALLY HOPEFUL THAT
EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO
WANTS IT IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO
GET IT FAIRLY SOON.
>> AND YOU ALSO SPOKE TO
TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS, JUST
PHYSICAL BARRIERS OF HOW PEOPLE
ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO FIND A
LOCATION TO GET THE VACCINE.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE
BIT?
>> SURE.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR
AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY
HEALTH WORKERS MADE THIS POINT,
A COUPLE POINTS TO US, AND
THINGS WE ARE TRYING TO TAKE
SERIOUSLY.
NOT JUST THAT THEY ARE SOMETHING
ABOUT IT BUT WE ARE TRYING TO
ACT ON IT.
ONE OF THE POINTS HE MADE GOING
BACK TO THE QUESTION AROUND
TRUST IS THERE AREN'T A WHOLE
LOT OF AFRICAN AMERICAN OR
PEOPLE OF COLOR THAT ARE DOING
THE VACCINATION PROCESS.
AND THAT'S A LITTLE SCARY WHEN
YOU HAVE SOME MISTRUST OF THE
GOVERNMENT TO WALK INTO A MASS
VACCINATION SITUATION AND NOT
SEE ANYONE FROM YOUR COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY EASY TO
FORGET HOW STARTLING THAT IS,
LIKE TO BE FROM A PARTICULAR
CULTURE AND FROM A PARTICULAR
COMMUNITY AND TO WALK INTO A
VERY DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT.
SO, ALONG WITH THAT, ONE OF THE
POINTS IS THE WISCONSIN CENTER
IS GREAT, BUT FOR COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR IT'S DIFFICULT TO GET TO A
CENTRALIZED LOCATION AND
COMMUNITY-BASED VACCINATION,
MAYBE A TRUSTED FACILITY IN THE
AFRICAN AMERICAN AND HISPANIC
COMMUNITY ACROSS THE CITY IS
GOING TO BE A LOT MORE
ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T
HAVE GOOD ACCESS TO
TRANSPORTATION.
>> THERE ARE CERTAIN FACILITIES
SUCH AS FEDERALLY QUALIFIED
HEALTH CENTER, COMMUNITY
CLINICS, TRAVEL CLINICS, THAT
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
SERVICES IS PRIORITIZING WHEN
THEY ARE REQUESTING THE
VACCINES, THEY ARE EMBEDDED IN
COMMUNITIES.
ARE THEY PART OF THE SOLUTION
FOR VACCINE OUTREACH AND
DISTRIBUTION?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
THEY ARE A HUGE CRITICAL
COMPONENT OF THIS WORK.
I THINK THEY HAVE A REALLY
STRONG TRUST IN THE COMMUNITIES.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THE ONLY THING
TO CONSIDER THERE IS SOMETIMES
THEY HAVE BETTER OUTREACH WITH
THEIR PATIENT BASE AND THERE MAY
BE FOLKS FROM THE COMMUNITY WHO
AREN'T BEING SEEN AT THAT
PARTICULAR FACILITY WHO NEED TO
GET A VACCINE AND HOW TO MANAGE
THAT.
>> SO IT'S PEOPLE THAT ARE MAYBE
NOT REGULARLY SEEING A
PHYSICIAN, REGULARLY GOING TO A
CLINIC.
THEY ARE FALLING THROUGH THE
CRACKS.
>> YEAH, I THINK THAT'S CLEAR,
RIGHT, AND SO YOU KNOW, THERE
IS -- AGAIN, THERE'S DIFFERENT
CONSIDERATIONS IN EACH COMMUNITY
WITHIN THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY,
IF YOU ARE UNDOCUMENTED YOU MAY
ALSO NOT BE SEEKING CARE FOR ANY
NUMBER OF DIFFERENT REASONS.
AND SO PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE
MAY JUST NOT BE CONNECTED EVEN
TO THE COMMUNITY CLINICS THAT
YOU ARE MENTIONING.
SO I THINK WE HAVE TO DO SOME
ADDITIONAL OUTREACH TO REALLY
HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE
LOCATIONS ARE IN THEIR COMMUNITY
THAT ARE GOING TO BE A GOOD
POINT FOR VACCINATION.
>> ONE BRIGHT SPOT THAT PEOPLE
ARE HOPING IS GOING TO POSSIBLY
INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY FOR THAT
POPULATION IS THE FEDERAL RETAIL
PHARMACY PROGRAM FOR THE VACCINE
IS AIMED AT MAKING THE SHOTS
AVAILABLE AT WALGREENS, FOR
EXAMPLE.
BUT WISCONSIN AND OTHER STATES
ARE SEEING THIS PHENOMENON
CALLED VACCINE TOURISM, PEOPLE
FROM FAR AWAY ARE MAKING AND
TAKING UP APPOINTMENTS IN THESE
PHARMACIES IN NEIGHBORHOODS THEY
DO NOT RESIDE IN.
HAVE YOU HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING
IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT YOU ARE
SERVING?
>> I HAVEN'T HEARD A SPECIFIC
CASE OF IT, YOU KNOW, AND THAT
MAY JUST BE BECAUSE OF HOW I'M
POSITIONED, I'M FAIRLY CERTAIN
THAT IT IS HAPPENING TO AT LEAST
SOME DEGREE, BUT I THINK IT'S
VERY LIMITED.
I THINK THERE IS A GENUINE FEAR
IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THEIR
SPOTS ARE GOING TO BE TAKEN.
AND SO THIS IS WHERE IN A
STRENGTH OF THE COMMUNITY
RESPONSE BEING HONORABLE AND
WAITING YOUR TURN IN LINE, I
CAN'T EMPHASIZE THIS ENOUGH.
THIS IS THE AMERICAN WAY, RIGHT?
THIS IS THE RULE SET GIVEN BY
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, MAY NOT
BE PERFECT, BUT OUT OF RESPECT
FOR YOUR FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS,
LET'S WALK IT DOWN.
FOR THE MOMENT WE HAVE TO JUST
SORT OF WAIT OUR TURN IN LINE.
>> ARE THERE INFORMATIONAL AND
TECHNOLOGICAL GAPS IN TERMS OF
JUST FINDING A VACCINE?
WHERE DO YOU START AND HOW DO
YOU MOVE THROUGH THE PROCESS AND
ACTUALLY GET TO THE POINT OF
BEING ABLE TO GET THE SHOT?
>> SO IF YOU ARE ASKING ABOUT
ARE THERE TECHNOLOGY GAPS AND
PROBLEMS IN TERMS OF ACCESS FOR
COMMUNITIES TO JUST GETTING THE
SHOT, ABSOLUTELY, RIGHT.
SO, A LOT OF THE SYSTEMS THAT WE
ARE BUILDING RIGHT NOW ARE
DIGITAL SYSTEM, RIGHT.
WE SEE THAT WITH GETTING
TESTING, WE ARE GOING TO SEE IT
WITH VACCINATION, THOSE SYSTEMS
MAKE IT MUCH EASIER FOR US AS
LARGE INSTITUTIONS TO PROCESS A
LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND IT
HAS MADE THINGS INCREDIBLY
EFFICIENT IN SOME WAYS, WAS NOT
POSSIBLE 10, 15 YEARS AGO.
BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO REMEMBER
THAT THERE ARE PLENTY OF AGED
PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES,
REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY ARE
FROM WHITE COMMUNITY, FROM
HISPANIC COMMUNITY, AFRICAN
AMERICAN COMMUNITY, DOESN'T
REALLY MATTER.
THEY ARE OLDER ADULTS AND MAY
REALLY STRUGGLE WITH TECHNOLOGY.
THAT CAN ONLY BE COMPOUNDED IN
THE COMMUNITIES OF COLOR WHERE
IT'S A MAJOR ISSUE.
WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WE DON'T
EXCLUDE PEOPLE ACCESS FROM
GETTING AN APPOINTMENT BECAUSE
IT'S EASIER TO PUT IT INTO A
DIGITAL PLATFORM.
>> SO IF YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO IS
A PERSON OF COLOR AND YOU ARE
TRYING TO GET A VACCINE, WHAT IS
THE BEST ADVICE THAT, OR
INFORMATION THAT YOU WOULD GIVE
THEM?
>> I THINK, YOU KNOW, PAYING
CLOSE ATTENTION TO WHAT'S GOING
ON IS KEY.
WE REALLY WANT TO THINK TRUE
KIND OF WHAT THE DIFFERENT
CATEGORIES ARE, WHAT'S GOING ON
IN TERMS OF THE VACCINE, YOU
KNOW, GROUPS.
I JUST WANT TO BE SURE I'M
GIVING THE RIGHT WEBSITE HERE,
TOO.
BUT I THINK FOR COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR, AND FOR THE ENTIRE
COMMUNITY ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT THINGS IS
HEALTHYMKE.COM WEBSITE, AND
DESIGNED TO PROVIDE CLEAR
INFORMATION FOR EVERYONE,
REGARDLESS OF BACKGROUND ABOUT
COVID-19, AND ABOUT THE VACCINE
PROCESS.
IT HAS SOME REALLY EXCELLENT
F.A.Q.s, FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE COVID-19
VACCINATION.
WE HAD ONE QUESTION COME UP FROM
A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER WHO
HAD COVID AND WAS WONDERING
WHETHER OR NOT THEY SHOULD GET
THE VACCINE.
AND WE ACTUALLY TALKED TO A
DOCTOR ABOUT THIS ON THEIR
BEHALF AND THEY SAID YOU KNOW
WHAT, IT'S PROBABLY BETTER TO
WAIT IF YOU ARE STILL HAVING
SYMPTOMS FROM COVID-19 FOR ABOUT
90 DAYS SO WE DON'T INCREASE
YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM RESPONSE TO
THE POINT WHERE IT BECOMES A
PROBLEM.
AND THIS WEBSITE HAS ACTUALLY
GONE THROUGH THOSE DIFFERENT
SCENARIOS.
WHAT DO I DO IF I'M PREGNANT,
ARE KIDS GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET
THE VACCINE RIGHT NOW, WHAT DO I
DO IF I'VE HAD COVID-19 AND SILL
SYMPTOMATIC, SHOULD I GET THE
VACCINE OR NOT.
THOSE ARE ALL REALLY IMPORTANT
DETAILED QUESTIONS AND THE
F.A.Q. ON THE HEALTHY MKE.COM
WEBSITE HAVE BEEN DESIGNED BY
THE MEDICAL COLLEGE, BY THE
COUNTY, A BUNCH OF THE DIFFERENT
AGENCIES INVOLVED TO BE ACCURATE
MEDICALLY AND SCIENTIFICALLY FOR
PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY
NEED TO DO NEXT.
>> AS WE ARE APPROACHING THE
MARCH 1 DATE WHICH OPENS UP THE
DOOR TO MANY FOR PEOPLE IN
WISCONSIN'S POPULATION TO
GETTING THE COVID-19 VACCINE,
WHAT ARE THE SOLUTIONS TOWARDS
EQUITY THAT YOU ARE MOST LOOKING
AT AS WE HAVE SEEN THE ROLLOUT
FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS AND THE
HURDLES ALONG THE WAY?
>> SO I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST
THINGS I'M ALWAYS PUSHING
TOWARDS, MARISA, IS MORE
OPTIMIZED MILWAUKEE, A STRONGER
MILWAUKEE, A MILWAUKEE THAT IS
TRULY INTEGRATED IN RESPONSE
ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY.
AND I'VE BEEN WORKING VERY
CLOSELY WITH THE CITY PUBLIC
HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY
AS A WHOLE OVER THE LAST YEAR.
AND I'VE LIVED IN MILWAUKEE FOR
ABOUT 10 OR 12 YEARS AND I'VE
BEEN REALLY IMPRESSED WITH
CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE CITY,
RIGHT.
IT'S AN INCREDIBLE CITY.
PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT LEFT DON'T
UNDERSTAND HOW SPECIAL MILWAUKEE
IS.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE
SOME REALLY DEEP PROBLEMS IN THE
CITY OF MILWAUKEE.
AND I THINK COVID-19 HAS REALLY
SHOWN THOSE PROBLEMS IN A VERY
CLEAR WAY AND SO I THINK SOME
VERY SIMPLE SOLUTIONS CAN GO A
LONG WAY.
ONE, WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE
PEOPLE OF COLOR, TALK TO SOMEONE
FROM THEIR OWN CULTURE WHO HAS
TAKEN THE VACCINE, AND FEEL
COMFORTABLE ASKING THEM.
IT'S IMPORTANT WE MOVE FROM
CENTRALIZED DISTRIBUTION OF THE
VACCINE TO THE COMMUNITY CLINIC
MODEL, BUT EVEN MORE THAN THAT,
YOU KNOW, MAYBE TO MOBILE
VACCINE CLINICS GOING, YOU KNOW,
BLOCK BY BLOCK IN COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR.
SO IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T HAVE
ACCESS THEY CAN GET THE VACCINE
IF THEY WANT.
WE REALLY NEED TO SLOW DOWN,
RIGHT, AND THIS IS FOR THE
INSTITUTIONS FOR ALL
INSTITUTIONS IN THE REGION.
THE BIG AGENCIES.
SLOW DOWN AND HAVE A
CONVERSATION WITH THE COMMUNITY.
WHAT ARE YOUR WORRIES, YOU KNOW,
IT'S EASY FOR ME TO SAY IT'S NOT
GOING TO CHANGE YOUR GENES, IT'S
NOT GOING TO TURN YOU INTO A
ZOMBIE, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE
STERILIZED BY THIS.
BUT THOSE ARE GENUINE WORRIES
FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS RIGHT HERE
IN MILWAUKEE.
AND IT'S REALLY EASY TO GLOSS
OVER THEM AND SAY THAT'S JUST
DUMB, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE
SCIENCE.
NO, THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE
SCIENCE AND WE HAVE AN
OBLIGATION TO EXPLAIN IT.
RIGHT?
IN A WAY THAT'S EASY TO
UNDERSTAND, CONSUMEABLE, AND
HELP PEOPLE MAKE A WELL-REASONED
DECISION WHAT THEY WANT TO DO
WITH THEIR HEALTHCARE.
THOSE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE
THINGS.
I THINK IT WOULD ALSO BE
INCREDIBLY POWERFUL IF THE
VACCINE MANUFACTURERS, THE
PEOPLE THAT ARE BENEFITTING FROM
THIS IN TERMS OF PROFIT, AND
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH
PROFIT, RIGHT, WE NEED BIG
PHARMA AT THE TABLE TO GENERATE
THESE VACCINES, BUT INCREDIBLE
STEP FOR MODERNA AND PFIZER TO
INVEST IN MILWAUKEE AND THE
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN
MILWAUKEE IN A PUBLIC WAY TO SAY
WE ARE HERE WITH YOU AS A
PARTNER OVER TIME.
AND THOSE ARE NOT DECISIONS THAT
ARE IN YOUR CONTROL OR MY
CONTROL, BUT I THINK THEY GET TO
SOME DEEP CONSIDERATIONS AROUND
EQUITY THAT WOULD HELP THE
COMMUNITY BETTER UNDERSTAND THIS
JOURNEY WITH THE VACCINES.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WE NEED TO LEAVE IT THERE.
DR. ZENO FRANCO FROM THE MEDICAL
COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN, THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.
>> MY PLEASURE, MARISA.
THANK YOU.
>> FOR MORE FROM "HERE AND NOW"
AND PBS WISCONSIN, VISIT
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FOR JOINING US ON "NOON
WEDNESDAY."