Cincinnati Enquirer: Black doctors urge residents to vaccinate because 'goal is for all of us to stay alive'

Louito Edje, MD, associate dean of graduate medical education, and Alvin Crawford, MD, professor emeritus, both in the UC College of Medicine, joined a total of 65 Black doctors in an open letter to Black residents of Greater Cincinnati urging anyone hesitant about the COVID-19 vaccine to talk with their caregivers.

“We are not here to judge. We are not here to scold,” the letter begins. “We would like to talk to you about your concerns.”

Released Thursday, the letter comes as the four-month-old vaccination campaign hits a new phase where the supply of vaccine is meeting demand that is flattening, particularly among younger and Black residents. In Ohio, 43 percent of the total population has started the vaccination, but just 23 percent of Black residents have gotten at least one shot. Hamilton County closely mirrors the state’s pace.

"The goal is for all of us to stay alive,” the letter states.

The Black doctors’ letter was issued through the health nonprofit Center for Closing the Health Gap and the Cincinnati Medical Association, a professional group. The Center for Closing the Health Gap has conducted frequent virtual town halls that feature experts on the new coronavirus pandemic.

Read the full Cincinnati Enquirer story and published letter online.

Learn more about Louito Edje, MD, online.

Learn more about Alvin Crawford, MD, online.

Featured image of a COVID-19 vaccination card courtesy of Colleen Kelley/UC Creative + Brand.