In the fall of 2020, the Black Scientists’ Task Force on Vaccine Equity was assembled upon recommendation by the City of Toronto to address the stark inequalities in COVID-19 vaccination rates and barriers to vaccine uptake in Black communities.
The Task Force, comprising a group of Black physicians, healthcare professionals, writers, and scholars, addresses the concerns underlying vaccine hesitancy in racialized communities and promotes dialogue in culturally sensitive spaces. Importantly, the Task Force aims to share evidence-based information regarding vaccines, the risks of COVID-19 infection, and safe practices with Black and racialized communities. Furthermore, the Task Force highlights the disparities in COVID-19 hospitalization and mortality rates, aiming to improve public awareness of these inequities.
By amplifying the voices of Black medical experts, healthcare professionals, and scholars, the Task Force seeks to foster confidence in vaccination in Black communities and implement policy recommendations to improve the health outcomes of Black and racialized individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The inequities that the Task Force aims to dismantle within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic are, however, rooted in an extensive history of racism and marginalization of Black communities by the medical institution. These factors have interacted synergistically, contributing to higher degrees of vaccine hesitancy among Black and racially marginalized individuals. During the pandemic, a striking percentage of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations were from racialized communities, as individuals from these communities were disproportionately residing in high-density, low-income neighborhoods—a grim demonstration of how urban geography intersects with health resource availability to perpetuate inequity.
Black healthcare professionals and front-line workers, in particular, had risks of COVID-19 positivity two to five times higher than the general population in Canada, the US, and the UK. As service and transportation sectors comprised higher percentages of Black individuals than sectors in which working from home was possible, Black individuals had high risks of COVID-19 infection, driven by factors such as limited access to personal protective equipment and the need to take public transit to travel to the workplace.
These inequities have challenged the possibility of mass vaccination in the community. Mass vaccination is a crucial public health measure, which can establish herd immunity that significantly reduces the mortality and morbidity of an infectious disease. Racial disparities in vaccine uptake hinder infectious disease control, often with racialized populations bearing a disproportionate share of the health burden.
In consideration of these inequities, the Black Scientists’ Task Force on Vaccine Equity implemented numerous measures to support the health and well-being of Black communities through engaging webinars, interactive Town Halls, and the publication of a summary report titled, “Toronto’s Black Community Town Halls Unpacked.”
To support front-line workers in particular, the Task Force is currently developing a resource kit, actively promoting well-being and various self-care activities to reduce social isolation and prevent negative mental health outcomes in racialized individuals. Recognizing that the pandemic has become associated with increased risks of developing depression and anxiety and that the post-pandemic era may be riddled by surges of PTSD, the Task Force “encourage[s] ways to maintain support to empower and encourage[s] communities to protect themselves, take care of loved ones, cope with stressors and stay healthy.”
A series of webinars was also hosted by the Task Force on a wide range of topics, including “having difficult conversations about the vaccine with parents and guardians of Black children and youth.” These informational sessions helped further improve the health and well-being of Black communities through education and awareness.
Notably, the Task Force also hosted multiple Town Hall discussions, allowing participants to ask questions and bring forth their concerns regarding the safety and efficacy of vaccines. These conversations proved to be productive and profoundly meaningful avenues to address vaccine hesitancy in “culturally and racially safe spaces,” as one participant commented.
Indeed, the meaningful impact of the Town Halls was reflected in the reduction of vaccine hesitancy by at least 25 percent in the nearly 7,000 participants who attended the sessions. The impact reached far beyond those who directly attended, as many of these individuals shared their knowledge with their networks and continued these crucial conversations within their communities. Attendees also comprised individuals outside of the city and province, highlighting the relevance and need for culturally informed discussions on this topic in other parts of Canada.
