Drew Wilson
Want to give your mom the best gift for Mother’s Day? Indelible Solutions and the Duval Department of Health might be able to help.
The minority-owned consulting company is teaming up with the county health department to host a vaccine site at Master’s Touch Ministry in Jacksonville. The site will administer the Pfizer vaccine. Those who want to receive a vaccine are encouraged to sign up at in advance at www.VAX904.com, but event organizers said walk-ups will also be welcome depending on the number of people who sign up in advance.
The event, which runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. is aimed at increasing the vaccination rate in minority and underserved communities. Currently, Black and Hispanic Floridians are lagging behind White Floridians in getting the vaccine.
Part of the gap is due to lack of vaccine access in minority communities. Black and Hispanic populations are also more hesitant to get vaccinated.
“Our team has been on the ground for weeks canvassing communities and speaking directly with Jacksonville residents about getting vaccinated and hesitancy is very common,” Indelible Solutions partner Josh Hay said. “Many communities of color have a history of negative experiences with the health care system and don’t feel comfortable taking the vaccine without being properly educated on the effects.
“That’s why the VAX904 initiative is so important. Our mission is to provide fact-based information to improve awareness, educate residents and provide access to the vaccine. We’ve seen great success utilizing our medical team to answer questions and deter misinformation about the vaccination process and we’re improving community trust around public health.”
Florida has administered more than 15 million shots to date, but just 8% of them have been received by Black Floridians. About a quarter of the doses have been received by Hispanic Floridians.
Indelible Solutions and Duval DOH are getting some help from some of Northeast Florida’s most prominent Black leaders to encourage greater vaccination rates within the Black community and spread the word about Saturday’s event.
“This pandemic has brought the inequalities amongst minority communities to the forefront of our public health conversation,” said U.S. Rep. Al Lawson. “Our families have seen the devastating effects of this virus more so than any other community. It’s our job to lead by example when it comes to getting this vaccine and restore the fractured relationship between health care and persons of color. I got my shot and I’m encouraging everyone to get theirs.”
State Rep. Tracie Davis added, “We must do everything possible to work with the community to build trust and acceptance in the COVID-19 vaccine. Considering that African Americans are nearly three times more likely to end up hospitalized and nearly two times more likely to die from COVID-19, vaccine hesitancy in these communities is a major crisis. I’m proud to work with Indelible Solutions and the State of Florida to help bring attention to this issue and ultimately, encourage more people to get vaccinated.”
Jacksonville City Council member Terrance Freeman said, “If we are going to change the narrative of this pandemic we must work together to build trust and empower families with accurate information. COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted communities of color, but there is still time to address these disparities before we witness a secondary public health crisis. Together, we will build bridges of trust so that we can protect the health and safety of people who are often overlooked. I got my vaccine not just for my protection, but to protect my family, my neighbors, and everyone in my community.”
Saturday’s health fair at Master’s Touch Ministry, located at 4510 Soutel Drive, will also feature food, music and other health services. There will be health screening booths on-site for attendees to get blood pressure, glucose and HIV/STD testing as well as educational information on healthy lifestyle activities.
Other organizations participating in the event include Northeast AHEC, Dedicated Health, Wellcare, FAMU Health Screeners, Humana, an HIV Screening Truck conducted by CAN Community Health, Realign Massage Services, STAT Training Solutions, The McMillan Agency, and Zumba activities.
Indelible Solutions is a Jacksonville-based, minority owned business with a track record of working with state and local governments to effectively execute programs, ensuring they are equitable and accessible to those who need them the most.
