Detroit educating residents on where, how to get vaccines

Teams of canvassers from Detroit's health department have been fanning out across city neighborhoods to educate residents on where to get free COVID-19 vaccines

DETROIT -- Mecca Shabazz has yet to get vaccinated against COVID-19. She doesn’t believe she needs it, despite evidence that the virus disproportionately sickens and kills Black people. “I just wasn’t pressed to do it. It’s not a big thing to me,” Shabazz said Tuesday as a team sent out by Detroit’s health department knocked on doors in her westside neighborhood to tell residents where to receive free vaccines. Reporters shadowing the teams spoke with residents. Some citing their concerns about vaccine safety, said they had no interest in getting the shots. The mostly Black city has been urging people to get vaccinated against the virus that has already killed more than 2,000 Detroit residents. City health officials have confirmed more than 47,600 cases since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.