COVID IS NOT OVER!

NBCI urges Black congregants to get vaccinated

Speaking with veteran journalist Roland Martin on the Black Star Network during the Hope Global Forums Monday in Atlanta, GA, Pastor Jamal Bryant said the Black Church has been as many as 15 years behind on addressing issues.  

He also pointed out that more than 3000 Black churches closed during the pandemic and younger generations are not as present in the church as past generations because they need to see movement, action and service.

Meanwhile, in Dallas, several local clergymen joined Rev. Anthony Evans, president of the National Black Church Initiative (NBCI); Rev. Tommy L. Brown, Senior Pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church; and Dr. Yolanda Lawson, President of the National Medical Association; who echoed Rev. Bryant’s sentiments to an extent as they urged support of the latest COVID vaccine.

Also, VACCNEWS, a publication addressing COVID and stressing the importance of the vaccine was introduced and thousands will be distributed to area churches to inform congregations about the importance of getting vaccinated.

“We are encouraging all of our members to get vaccinated,” said Rev. Evans, in his introduction of VACCNews, adding that he was traveling the country, distributing the publication, and providing information that will hopefully counter all the negative information that is making people reject the vaccine.

He said he hopes that the nearly 30 million church members will take heed.

The misinformation or lack of information is dangerous to communities, according to Rev. Brown, who said he is presenting facts and paying attention to science.

“I trust the science,” he said. “So many times we put more emphasis on what people we know and trust say, instead of what science says. I trust our doctors. We are not playing with lives.  We are trying to save lives.”

For Dr. Lawson, the misinformation, as well as the politicizing of COVID-19, and now, the lack of significant media attention contributes to the current Tripledemic — Flu, COVID and RSV.

People are still dying and information must be shared in Black and Latino communities, she said.

NBCI, a coalition of 150,000 African American and Latino churches with 27.7 million churchgoers, launched the second edition of VACCNews in Los Angeles before coming to Dallas; to spread a message of hope, not fear.

Around the country, we are providing all African American Churches with copies of VACCNews to spread the word about COVID and the new vaccine.  We all need to get vaccinated.  There are three issues we need to deal with: flu, COVID and RSV.”

Rev. Brown has been dealing with some health issues and was pleased when he heard that he did not test positive for COVID.  When he started having health issues, he sought medical attention.

“We need to educate and we’re leading by example,” he said, adding that he is just getting over the Flu, but he went to his doctor and received medication.

In the VACCNews edition that was presented, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith was featured describing his two bouts with COVID-19 and through his testimony, shared how he initially had reservations about the vaccine but is now a strong advocate for the vaccine.

“COVID is no joke,” he said.  “Get vaccinated.”

Dr. Lawson agreed.

There are statistics and realities that we continue to face,” she said.

A Dallas-based OBGYN, she leads the NMA, which is the largest and oldest national organization representing African American physicians and their patients in the United States. 

According to its website, it is the collective voice of African American physicians and the leading force for parity and justice in medicine and the elimination of health disparities.

As she travels the country addressing not only the Tripledemic, Lawson said she is very candid about the seriousness of the health issues being faced.

She added that she lets communities know that she took all the vaccines and that she wouldn’t dare take anything that would be detrimental to her well-being.

With about 7% of adults receiving the updated vaccine, there could be some tough days ahead and Lawson expressed gratitude to the clergy members for their efforts; as she cited the statistics about the impact COVID is still having today.

“We came together here today not only to acknowledge these gaps, but to bridge them with knowledge, understanding, and a shared commitment to the health and well-being of our communities,” said Dr. Lawson. “To date, in the United States, there have been 1,158,185 deaths (COVID-related).  I have never in my whole entire medical career have I lost so many patients, staffmembers, just an overwhelming mental health toll… 15,000 new hospital admissions and nearly 600 deaths per week reported in the U.S.

With those staggering numbers that are not capturing headlines, the gathering of clergy agreed that the media should be doing more.

But waiting for someone else is not an option, they concurred. Thus VACCNews, calling press conferences across the country and spreading a message that could save lives.  

The VACCNews will be available in churches and also online at www.https://www.naltblackchurch.com/.

The mission of NBCI is to provide critical wellness information to all its members, congregants, churches, and the public. Given the shared interests of NBCI and your city to address the diverse needs of the broader public, we extend congratulations to you and your health team for the contributions made during the COVID pandemic.  NBCI recognizes this work has been challenging in both known and unknown ways, yet the intentionality of your mayoral team and community citizens has minimized the impact of COVID.  Indeed, we are grateful for those efforts.  

The National Black Church Initiative (NBCI) is a coalition of 150,000 African American and Latino churches working to eradicate racial disparities in healthcare, technology, education, housing, and the environment. 

The mission of NBCI is to provide critical wellness information to all of its members, congregants, churches, and the public.