December 02, 2009
Cuyahoga health officials urge blacks, who are less apt to get shots, to get H1N1 vaccine
Our very own Dr. Daryl Thornton was recently interviewed for a Plain Dealer article that discusses the concerns over the hesitation among blacks to get vaccinated for the H1N1 virus. He and Cuyahoga County Health Commissioner Terry Allen, are working to raise awareness among the community about the importance of getting the vaccine.
"I think it really gets down to trust," said Thornton, who is black. "There's still this hidden concern that vaccination may not protect them from flu and may make them sicker. They are just by nature going to be more susceptible to infection, so they tend to benefit the most from vaccine."
This issue is important due to the reality that blacks have higher rates of diabetes, asthma and other chronic conditions that leave them more susceptible to infections like H1N1 or the flu.
To read the article on Cleveland.com, please follow this link.