The US First Lady strives to destroy Covid-19 vaccine stigma

When Monique Harouna, 51 years old, on June 6 arrived at the vaccination center at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, the neighborhood with the highest concentration of black people in New York City, she immediately knew an event was about to take place in Harlem.

`Hello, I’m Jill,` the US First Lady said to Harouna.

`They told me Michelle Obama was coming,` Harouna said in a later interview.

First lady Jill Biden (center) visits the vaccination center at Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, New York City, June 6.

The appearance of First Lady Jill Biden was the most accurate answer for Harouna.

Lazarus, 12, Harouna’s son, was excited for the opportunity to meet the US First Lady but added `it doesn’t mean much`.

`Who? Who is that?`, Lazarus said after the meeting.

Fauci and Jill came to Harlem as part of the government’s effort to encourage 70% of adults in the US to get at least one Covid-19 vaccine shot before the Fourth of July.

This is the second time First Lady Jill has visited a vaccination center with epidemiologist Fauci, who is trusted by most of the American public but over the past year has become a `lightning rod` that has attracted a lot of criticism.

As Jill and Fauci left the church after their 40-minute visit, a group of about 75 protesters had gathered on West 138th Street.

First Lady Jill’s appearance may not make much of a difference in anti-vaccine communities, such as Wyoming, but in theory, her voice will have some impact in the areas.

According to data released by the city’s health department, vaccination rates are lowest in communities of color, with only 29% of Black New Yorkers and 37% of Hispanic/Latinos having received at least one shot.

Biden and Fauci chose to visit Abyssinian, a famous black church, to promote the importance of black faith leaders in efforts to encourage vaccination.

Jill Biden came to greet Monique Harouna, who was waiting for her son’s turn to be vaccinated at the Abyssinian Baptist Church vaccination center.

`People in the community believe in this church, they believe in the people who come from the church,` so the government puts its trust in the faith community to `call on everyone to come and get vaccinated.`

`We will end this pandemic,` Fauci declared, adding that `the tool to help do that is the vaccine, which is what’s happening here.`

One of the administration’s main goals is to spread the word that all Americans over the age of 12 are now eligible to get vaccinated.

`You’re 14 years old, so you’re exactly what we’re looking for,` she told the boy.

She asked the boy if he wanted to hold her hand.

It’s not just teenagers lining up at the Abyssinian church to get vaccinated.

Jones, a collaborator at the nonprofit United Way that is helping fight vaccine hesitancy in the US, was the one who convinced her grandmother to go to the vaccination site.

`It’s not easy to convince an older woman of color` that the government is working for her benefit, Jones said.

Gausney said she wants to wait and see how the vaccine rollout goes before taking any risks.

`Thank you for being a role model,` First Lady Jill told Gausney when she came to meet her at the vaccination tent.

Gausney said she thought Jill was `sweet,` adding that `it’s nice to meet nice people and the First Lady is certainly that person.`

Jill Biden may not possess the same strong charisma as former first lady Michelle Obama.

`Her energy was amazing. She was very warm and showed great interest in what I was discussing,` Thompson recalls.

Vu Hoang (According to Washington Post)