Vaccine Messaging Acknowledges Past Racial Traumas in Health

Messaging around a Covid-19 vaccine must be delivered to African American communities without admonishment or pressure, according to health officials planning for its rollout in St. Louis.

The approach will be distinct from the messaging campaign that they’ve used for Covid-19 testing and prevention largely because Black communities are wary of vaccination efforts.

“We were very comfortable delivering a clear ‘call to action’ when it came to getting people to practice social distancing, use hand sanitizer, wear masks and so forth,” said Laurna Godwin, president of Vector Communications, which provides information about Covid-19 testing and prevention to minority communities.

“With ...