Virtual Town Hall explores COVID-19 vaccine for Black community in Oklahoma City
04/13/2021
OU Health physicians, Prospect Church, the City of Oklahoma City and the Oklahoma Public Health Association are recognizing National Minority Health Month in April with an educational Virtual Town Hall about COVID-19 vaccination in the local Black community.
The informal, virtual event begins at 5 p.m. Sunday, April 18. Join here on Ward 7 Councilwoman Nikki Nice’s Facebook page or here on Zoom. If prompted, use Meeting ID 862 3379 9348, passcode 573406.
Prospect Church Senior Pastor and former Ward 7 Councilman Lee Cooper Jr. will host the event, with Councilwoman Nice moderating a panel discussion.
“COVID-19 is an ongoing threat to public health that has had a disproportionate impact on people of color and our most vulnerable residents,” said Councilwoman Nice. “This is an opportunity to become better informed in efforts to increase awareness of the COVID-19 vaccine and advocate for our families to have better outcomes, not just for today, but also to have positive influence on generations to follow.”
Participants include experts speaking from their own experiences with COVID-19 and vaccination efforts, who will answer questions from virtual attendees:
-
Donna Tyungu, M.D., Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Oklahoma Children’s Hospital, will address vaccines, side effects and emerging variants of COVID-19.
-
Marvin Williams Jr., D.O., Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Oklahoma Children’s Hospital, specializes in managing high-risk pregnancies. Board certified in maternal-fetal medicine and obstetrics and gynecology, he will discuss vaccine concerns related to pregnancy.
-
Pamela Allen, M.D., Dermatology, OU Health, will explore the likely origins of vaccine reticence in Black communities, including implicit bias, health disparities and historical trauma.
-
Eddie Withers, MPH, lead epidemiologist with the OKC-County Health Department, will speak from his experience in overseeing OCCHD’s COVID-19 response in Oklahoma County for more than a year.
Send questions for panel discussion to ward7@okc.gov, or call (405)-297-2569.
Everyone in Oklahoma age 16+ is eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. Appointments are available across the metro and state:
Visit covid19.okc.gov for the latest on the coronavirus in Oklahoma City.
# # #
Media Contact: Kristy Yager, (405) 297-2550, kristy.yager@okc.gov
Follow us: Twitter • Facebook • Instagram • YouTube
City Hall, 200 N Walker Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73102
News Release Archive
|