AUSTIN, TX — While some Central Texans are celebrating getting their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine this week, others are still debating if they even want to get one at all.
“As a breastfeeding mom with lupus, I will not be getting the vaccine. I will not be part of the trial-and-error period when it could affect myself, others and potentially other children,” said Haeleigh Welsh.
One woman wrote about how she didn’t show up to her appointment on Friday.
“My grandfather and I were scheduled to get ours at noon but we chickened out,” said Marie Ibarra.To combat local vaccine hesitancy, United Way Austin is one local organization working to build confidence in the vaccine process. They recently hired Stephanie Cerda as their vaccine equity program manager.
“I know that this work is going to be work that is very reliant on trust and building relationships,” said Cerda. “I know from my background as an educator, the first thing you do when you’re trying to inform someone, you build a relationship with them. So that’s why we are working with community grassroots organizations because they have deservingly earned the trust of the community since the beginning of the pandemic.”
