Preventing the Next Crisis With Access to Vaccination in Underserved Black Communities

As the crisp air of winter settles in, so does something far more dangerous: respiratory virus season. Flu and COVID-19 are circulating again, and for many Black families in underserved communities, the consequences of being unvaccinated are measured not just in dollars but in lives.

Every year, influenza alone kills thousands of Americans, with disproportionate death rates in communities of color. COVID-19 has left an even deeper scar, exposing long-standing inequities in public health and care access. Despite knowing the system has failed us, far too many people remain unprotected because of misinformation.

A single hospital stay can mean weeks without work, crushing medical bills, and, in the worst cases, empty seats at the dinner table. We all face the weight of daily struggles, but for those already stretched thin, forgoing a vaccine can quickly shift hope to heartbreak. This is a matter of survival.

One of the greatest challenges is not the vaccine itself or even the mild reactions some people might experience. The real obstacle is misinformation. Rumors spread faster than any virus. In our churches, barbershops, salons, and across social media, the doubts echo: “The vaccine was rushed,” “It makes you sick,” “You don’t need it if you’re healthy.” These beliefs may feel harmless, but they plant fear, fuel hesitancy, and ultimately contribute to higher rates of severe illness and death in our communities.

We must also address 2 common myths head-on: that vaccines are unsafe and that they do not work. The evidence shows otherwise.

Serious vaccine adverse effects are extremely rare, occurring in far less than 1% of recipients, with most reactions classified as mild and being temporary.³ Vaccines are also highly effective. During recent seasons, flu vaccination reduced the risk of hospitalizations by about 52% among adults, and updated COVID-19 vaccines significantly reduced the risk of severe disease, even with circulating variants.⁴

The truth is simple: vaccines save lives.

Even with new variants, vaccines continue to slash the risk of severe disease, hospitalization, and death. But you cannot protect yourself or the loved ones who depend on you without access to accurate, trustworthy information and the protection that vaccines provide. So, talk to your pharmacist! We are here, accessible, and ready to help you stay healthy.

History makes this problem even more urgent. During the first years of the COVID-19 pandemic, Black Americans were nearly 3 times more likely than white Americans to be hospitalized and nearly 2 times more likely to die from COVID-19 infection.¹ Flu vaccination rates follow the same trend. Slightly more than 40% of Black adults received a flu vaccination during the 2023–2024 season compared to about half of white adults nationwide, reflecting persistent disparities in vaccine coverage.² The consequences are quite predictable: more severe illness, more hospitalizations, and more deaths in our communities.

It’s on each of us to seek out trusted, evidence-based information. Pharmacists are among the most trusted health care professionals and are also the most accessible. You see pharmacists in your neighborhood pharmacies, in hospitals, at health fairs, and around the community, standing on the front lines as partners in care. We understand that mistrust of the medical system is real and rooted in centuries of neglect and abuse. But mistrust should not cost us our future. Find providers you trust and push them for honest and clear information. We cannot allow misinformation to rob us of our health or our lives.

Knowledge is more than power; it’s protection. When you sit with your grandmother to explain why the flu shot could save her life, you are protecting the generation that raised us. When you remind your best friend to get their COVID-19 vaccine, you are protecting the people who stand beside you every day. Our elders may be at the highest risk, but no one should be left behind. Each conversation breaks the cycle of misinformation and helps safeguard the health of our entire community.

It’s time we dispel the myths, misinformation, and mistrust that harm our communities every respiratory virus season by sharing fact-based information, just as we would trade recipes and talk about football games. We must begin by using every available resource, including pharmacists, local clinics, and mobile health units, to get vaccinated ourselves. Then we must become educators in our own circles, making sure friends and family understand the stakes.

Getting vaccinated is both a personal choice and an act of love. It’s how we protect ourselves as well as our families and communities. The next crisis doesn’t have to be written in stone. This respiratory virus season let’s choose protection over regret and knowledge over fear.

In the end, what’s at stake is more than health; it’s our future.

REFERENCES

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. COVIDView: A Weekly Surveillance Summary of U.S. COVID-19 Activity. Past Report: March 12, 2021. Published March 12, 2021. Accessed December 19, 2025. https://archive.cdc.gov/www_cdc_gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/covidview/past-reports/03122021.html

2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Flu Vaccination Coverage, United States, 2023–24 Season. Published 2024. Accessed December 19, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/healthy-living/index.html

3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Possible Side Effects After Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine. Published 2024. Accessed December 19, 2025.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/expect/after.html

4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vaccine Effectiveness: How Well Flu Vaccines Work. Published 2024. Accessed December 19, 2025.
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/vaccines-work/vaccineeffect.htm