Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan rolled up his sleeve Tuesday to show the public that when it comes to the coronavirus vaccine he's walking the walk and not just talking the talk.
See Duggan get the vaccine below, at the 1:40 p.m. mark. Cheers and applause broke out in the room when it was done.
While some were concerned about public officials pushing in line ahead of healthcare workers, Duggan said he would get criticized no matter what he does. He got the vaccine, he said, in the hope it will convince Detroiters to follow suit when it's available.
Duggan said he's talked to a number of firefighters who are cautious about getting the vaccine because "they're the very first." He added that 30 healthcare workers, plus 1,200 EMTs and first responders can get the vaccine tomorrow if they choose.
"While I believe this is the right thing to do, we're not going to mandate that you do it. It's your choice. You're not going to be disciplined or punished for that choice," he said.
In overwhelming numbers, Detroiters don't trust the coronavirus vaccine, which Duggan said he understands. A recent Gallup poll found 48% of non-white adults said they'd get the vaccine compared to 61% of whites.
How can the Black community trust healthcare officials after incidents like the Tuskegee Experiment where Black men were recruited unknowingly into a syphilis study that was carried out for 40 years? "This is not imagined skepticism, it is deeply rooted in reality," Detroit Medical Center CEO Audrey Gregory said during the public event Tuesday where Duggan and other health officials came together to get the vaccine publicly and reassure Detroiters that the vaccine process has been transparent.
Whether it's trusted or not, Gregory said the vaccine is safe. She added there will be "no vaccine bullying," while Henry Ford Health System President & CEO Wright Lassiter said the vaccine will not be mandated for staffers.
"We have no intention of mandating," Duggan added. "Positive messages will win out."
As far as what happens when you get the vaccine, Gregory said her arm was sore for about 24 hours after she got it herself, but that was the only side effect. In fact, no one at the hospital who has gotten the vaccine so far has had an adverse effect, she said.
"Recognize that we're making decisions not just for ourselves, but for our family and our entire community," Gregory said, urging people to trust the science.
[shortcode-inline-related expand="1" link="/wwjnewsradio/articles/news/detroits-artists-join-forces-for-covid-19-awareness-census" headline="Detroit is "Everybody Vs. COVID-19:" Mayor Duggan Calls on Local Artists To Encourage Census Participation" image="/media-library/image.jpg?id=64528806"]So, how many people in the city's healthcare system will be vaccinated by the end of the month? It's still unclear. Detroit has 975 doses of the coronavirus vaccine per major hospital network in the city -- or just under 5,000 doses -- of the Pfizer vaccine, with another 13,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine on their way.
Duggan said the number of vaccines expected changes every day, which is frustrating.
