Speaking to Congregations about COVID Vaccinations
Reverend Dr. Gina Stewart
The Reverend Dr. Gina Marcia Stewart is a pastor, preacher, visionary, builder, mentor, adjunct professor, and daughter of Christ Missionary Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has presented unprecedented health challenges throughout the world. No strata of society have been able to escape this invisible pathogen that has radically altered our lives for more than a year. As of April 25, 2021, there have been more than 3 million COVID19 related deaths and more than 144 million infections worldwide.
Thankfully, after a year of social distancing, washing hands, wearing face coverings, frequent hand washings, mask mandates and sheltering in place, a vaccine is finally available, making the long-awaited possibility of herd immunity a potential reality. But despite a readily accessible vaccine, herd immunity is less likely to happen because of the challenge of vaccination resistance. According to a recent NPR poll, one in four Americans said they would refuse a coronavirus vaccine outright if offered. Another 5% are undecided about whether they would get the shot. Others are resistant due to concerns about safety, unknown side effects, misinformation, religious reasons, and fear. Vaccine hesitancy is so prevalent that the World Health Organization considered it a top 10 global health threat in 2019.
Misinformation has been cited as one of the chief causes of vaccine hesitancy.
Misinformation can cost lives. Where there is an absence of appropriate trust and correct information, diagnostic tests go unused, immunization campaigns (or campaigns to promote effective vaccines) will not meet their targets, and the virus will continue to thrive. The union of misinformation and infectious disease has contributed to the spread of Ebola and measles. Still, the COVID-19 pandemic has come to be defined by a tsunami of persistent misinformation to the public.
As a faith leader, I am committed to saving lives and human flourishing, and I have attempted to demonstrate this commitment with two life-saving measures.
Educate
Liberation, salvation, and education are inseparably linked together. Hosea 4:6 reminds us that we are destroyed for lack of knowledge. The antidote to misinformation is truth that is supported by factual information and data. One of the greatest gifts that faith leaders can give to congregations is information that will help them think critically and make decisions. Public health communication coupled with intentional action is essential in fighting the spread of misinformation and dispelling fear. When and wherever possible, faith leaders can reach out to medical and public health professionals, public health organizations, and those trained in virology or infectious disease to communicate from an informed point of view. The intent is to provide congregations with the information they need to make informed decisions to grow and thrive.
Advocate
African American clergy have a long history of activism because of an emphasis on holistic ministry. Faith leaders can advocate for vaccine confidence by penning editorials that voice support for vaccines, participating in press conferences with public health officials to increase confidence, collaborating with health agencies and institutions to improve vaccine access, and setting up vaccination sites in houses of worship to make the experience more accessible and reassuring. Depending upon their comfort level, faith leaders can encourage vaccine confidence by participating in public education campaigns and getting vaccinated in public.
The COVID19 crisis presents a unique opportunity for faith leaders to dispel fear, speak the truth in love, and lead communities in being Christ’s witness to the world. Our very lives depend upon it.
References
Herd Immunity Herd immunity, or community immunity, is when a large part of the population of an area is immune to a specific disease. If enough people are resistant to the cause of a disease, such as a virus or bacteria, it has nowhere to go.
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/04/07/984697573/vaccine-refusal-may-put-herd-immunity-at-risk-researchers-warn
