DALLAS — Faced with the stark reality that, both locally and nationwide, minorities are not receiving the COVID-19 vaccine in numbers proportionate to their populations, city and county leaders are doubling government and community efforts to make sure everyone gets their place in line.
"We need help. We need the churches, the PTA," said Dallas City Councilman Tennell Atkins shortly after returning from a Thursday COVID-19 vaccination registration drive at Singing Hills Recreation Center.
"To make sure people understand you've got to register. If you don't register they're not going to call you," he said while listing a variety of economic, social, and geographic reasons for a lower percentage of Black Americans receiving COVID-19 vaccines.
According to the latest numbers from the Centers for Disease control, while approximately 61 percent of Americans are white, a perhaps not-so-surprising 60.4 percent of vaccine recipients are white.
But while Black people make up approximately 13.4 percent of the U.S. population, only 5.4 percent of those receiving the vaccine are Black, according to the CDC.
Those percentages, the geographic location of vaccine hubs, and questions of vaccine equity were addressed in a virtual town hall Thursday night arranged by the City of DeSoto.
"It's not fair that we're getting hit the hardest," one health care professional said on the Zoom call. "Those who are not as wealthy are having to wait so long to get this vaccine."
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins, a participant in the town hall, said a variety of efforts are underway to solve any disparities. The county launched its re-vamped phone registration system this week with the help of a third-party vendor. By calling 1-855 IMMUNE9 (855-466-8639) between 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. any day of the week, callers can register with the help of a phone operator in either English or Spanish.
An arrangement with DART is also under consideration. Jenkins says passengers will be able to board a DART bus and arrive at the Fair Park vaccine hub where medical personnel will board the bus to administer vaccines.
"We can do more. We always need more," said Atkins of continued vaccine registration drives in under-served communities.
"There are situations in the southern part of town, because we feel like we're the tale of two cities: 'Hey, we always don't get the correct information.'"
Atkins will attend two more registration drives in his district Friday and Saturday at the Highland Hills Library at 6200 Bonnie View Road. The registration event is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day.
Here is a list of other Oak Cliff area and South Dallas COVID-19 vaccine registration sites if you are searching for the one nearest you.
Doherty Family Fieldhouse at St. Philips School & Community Center, 3021 Colonial Ave. 75215
Monday, Wednesday, Saturday 9 a.m.- 12 noon (beginning Feb. 6)
Saint Luke Community United Church, 5710 E RL Thornton Frwy
Thursdays 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.
T.R. Hoover Community Development Center, 5106 Bexar St. 75215
Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Owenwood Farm and Neighbor Space, 1451 John West Rd. 75228
Monday, Wednesday, Friday 1 p.m.- 7 p.m.
Dallas Bethlehem Center, 4410 Leland Ave.
Thursdays 11:30 a.m.- 1:30 p.m.
The Theta Alpha Foundation, 2413 MLK Blvd. Dallas 75215
Saturday 1 p.m.- 5 p.m.