A few passing clouds. Low 21F. Winds light and variable..
A few passing clouds. Low 21F. Winds light and variable.
Updated: January 14, 2023 @ 10:22 pm
A few passing clouds. Low 21F. Winds light and variable..
A few passing clouds. Low 21F. Winds light and variable.
Updated: January 14, 2023 @ 10:22 pm
The Partnership of African American Churches (PAAC) COVID-19 surge testing and vaccine team hosts a free testing and vaccine clinic on Friday at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Huntington.
The Partnership of African American Churches (PAAC) COVID-19 surge testing and vaccine team hosts a free testing and vaccine clinic on Friday, Jan. 13, 2023, at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Huntington.
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The Partnership of African American Churches (PAAC) COVID-19 surge testing and vaccine team hosts a free testing and vaccine clinic on Friday at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Huntington.
The Partnership of African American Churches (PAAC) COVID-19 surge testing and vaccine team hosts a free testing and vaccine clinic on Friday, Jan. 13, 2023, at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Huntington.
HUNTINGTON — Although the COVID-19 pandemic isn’t at the front of the mind of most Americans in 2023, efforts to vaccinate vulnerable communities are still ongoing.
The Partnership of African American Churches (PAAC) held a COVID-19 vaccine clinic at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Huntington on Friday. The organization is one of the few remaining pop-up clinics operating in West Virginia.
Shannon Robinson, the COVID-19 surge team project director, said that people are still getting their first shot at PAAC’s clinics.
“COVID hasn’t left; it’s still on the rise,” Robinson said.
PAAC has vaccinated nearly 10,000 people since 2021, most of whom are people of color or low income. The organization is funded by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources and has operated in 45 counties.
Two teams operate out of Kanawha County and one out of the state’s Eastern Panhandle. They travel the state to promote and administer COVID-19 and flu vaccines.
Robinson said the organization partners with local churches to connect with communities through trusted voices. Robinson is a pastor at a church in Oak Hill and understands the impact pastors can have on a community firsthand.
“Pastors help share the message,” Robinson said.
Robinson first got involved in the project to promote overall healthful behavior for communities of color within West Virginia.
Communities of color have been disproportionally affected by the COVID-19 pandemic; however, vaccination rates in these communities often lag behind the national average.
PAAC hopes that through education and a consistent presence in easily accessible places, people who may be on the fence about getting vaccinated might be convinced when presented with the right opportunity.
“We can’t reach everybody, but even if it’s one person who gets vaccinated — that could be one life saved,” Robinson said.
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