GREENSBORO, N.C. — So far the majority of people receiving the COVID vaccine have been white. Why is that? In part, history may be to blame. There is a lot of distrust of government-run drug or vaccine trials by communities of color. How do we make sure we remember the history, but not allow it to hinder the saving of lives with this new vaccine?
“We decided this is something we should do, at our age, we want to live a little longer and we decided we would go and take it,” said Shirley Frye.
The “we” in this case is Shirley and her husband. They got their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the Greensboro Coliseum.
My husband's arm got a bit sore, but mine didn't it was just another vaccine that I took,” said Shirley.
Although Shirley knows, it's not just another vaccine to a lot of folks.
“You know, there are people who don't believe in going to the doctor period. And when you add the Tuskegee Project to it and if they have older people in the family who are familiar with that project, it makes them more apprehensive,” said Shirley.
The Tuskegee Project began in 1932 and lasted for 40 years. The government experiment purposefully didn't give adequate drug treatment to 600 black men infected with syphilis, which led to their deaths. None of the men were given the option to take the drug that could have saved them.
“You have to remember, my husband is a biology and chemistry man, that's his background, he has analyzed all of it,” said Shirley about the COVID vaccine.
Her husband, you know him as Former North Carolina Chief Justice Henry Frye, the first African American Chief Justice of the State Court, and their granddaughter Endya, who is a doctor, all know the history of the Tuskegee Project, but believe this vaccine is the hope for the future.
“The more of us as African Americans that take it and share it with others, then I think more people will be more comfortable with that.
As I do with most things when I'm trying to convince people of things, I tell them I did it, I'm still alive and I'm feeling good,” said Shirley.
Shirley says getting the vaccine didn't make her anxious, instead it made her more confident knowing it was helping her to combat COVID.
“I believe in what I do and I care about people and I want other people to be just as happy as I am,” said Shirley.