NASHVILLE, Tenn (WTVF) — Researchers at Meharry Medical College are actively recruiting minority participants in their COVID-19 trials. They're doing so to ensure Black and brown communities are properly represented and given equal quality care.
Recent studies show COVID-19 infects Black Americans at nearly three times the rate of white Americans, and they are twice as likely to die from the virus. The college says minority participation is essential in eliminating these disproportionate outcomes.
"I feel a great sense of responsibility to communicate to our community the need for us to be observant to what’s going on and how we need to respond to it," said Pastor Derrick Moore of Hopewell Baptist Church.
For the Black community, the church is not just a place to praise God, oftentimes it's a place many gather for important information on politics, social justice and their health.
Pastor Moore and Pastor Michael Joyner of Greater Faith Missionary Baptist Church say as church leaders they're not just responsible for their parishioners' spiritual health but, sometimes, their physical health as well.
COVID-19 has made it into a sermon or two lately, but when it comes to a COVID-19 vaccine they are reluctant.
"Just not enough information on this particular vaccine that they're coming up with, too much politics in it for me to even trust it," said Moore.
Meharry Medical College is encouraging more minorities to participate in its COVID-19 vaccine trial.
"We at this point are fearful of any vaccines, we've experimented on several times," said Joyner.
The church leaders say they have the utmost respect for Meharry but they say many minorities have a hard time trusting the healthcare system which goes as far back as slavery and the Tuskegee Project in the 1930s.
"We're not going to continue to be guinea pigs, we're not ready for that," Joyner said.
They say many in the community echo the same remarks. They're asking for more scientific research before they encourage their parishioners to get on board.
"This vaccine, it’s only six months in how long have we had cancer, how long have we had AIDS," said Joyner.
Interested participants can learn more about these vaccines and sign up to register for Meharry's trials here Participants must include the Meharry Medical College Site Code “MEHA” at the end of the survey.
