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Black Physicians Set Record Straight on Safety, Value of COVID-19 Vaccine

Published

4 years ago

December 23, 2020

Kiki

Last week, I had the opportunity to meet and interview Dr. Mark Finch on the Health Beat TV show on Channel 78. ,

Highly experienced and world-traveled, Finch is one of the few African American infectious disease specialist in the Bay Area. Finch and I have worked in the hospital together caring for critically ill COVID-19 patients.

I asked Finch the questions often posed by my patients about the COVID-19 vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna that were recently given emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. According to Finch and his research from the Centers for Disease Control, the responses are as follows;

1) The COVID-19 vaccine will not give you the disease COVID-19. It allows you to develop an immune response without getting sick from COVID-19.

2) The COVID-19 vaccine will help prevent you from getting COVID-19 (The vaccine is proven to be 95% effective).

3) Although washing hands, social distancing and wearing masks are helpful, they are not enough. The vaccine will work with your immune system to fight the virus if you are exposed to it.

Vice Admiral and U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams and nurse Sandra Lindsay, both African American, are among the first Americans to publicly take the COVID-19 vaccine.

Dr. Leon McDougle, president of the National Medical Association, writes that “nationally, Black people are 1.4 times more likely to be diagnosed with COVID-19 , 4.7 times more likely to require hospitalization and 2.8 times more likely to die than whites from COVID-19 .

The National Medical Association has developed a task force to ensure that Black people are not left out of the vaccine distribution and vaccination process.

As an African American physician on the front line, and member and previous president of the NMA state chapter, I have always strived for the health and well-being of our people.

I am exposed to the virus daily and so many of you are as well.

I want to protect my children, family, patients and community. That’s why I took the vaccine and I’m glad I did it!

Remember always that your health is your wealth and when you have your health you have everything.”

For more information on COVID-19 and African Americans watch the Health Beat show Channel 78 and HeathbeatTV, you-tube) and go to blackcoalitionagainstcovid.org.

“If you knew better you could do better.”

Kiki

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Oakland Post: Week of January 8 – 14, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of January 8 – 14, 2025

Published

2 days ago

January 11, 2025

Oakland Post

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Oakland Post

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Supreme Court Decision Confirms Convicted Felon Will Assume Presidency

NNPA NEWSWIRE — In a 5-4 ruling, the court stated that Trump’s concerns could “be addressed in the ordinary course on appeal” and emphasized that the burden of sentencing was “relatively insubstantial” given that Trump will not face prison time. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the court’s three liberal justices in the majority, with four conservative justices dissenting.

Published

4 days ago

January 10, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected President-elect Donald Trump’s emergency request to block criminal proceedings in his New York hush money case, ensuring that a sentencing hearing will proceed as scheduled on Friday. The decision makes it official that, on January 20, for the first time in its history, the United States will inaugurate a convicted felon as its president.

In a 5-4 ruling, the court stated that Trump’s concerns could “be addressed in the ordinary course on appeal” and emphasized that the burden of sentencing was “relatively insubstantial” given that Trump will not face prison time. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the court’s three liberal justices in the majority, with four conservative justices dissenting.

Trump was convicted in May for falsifying business records related to a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg argued that the Supreme Court lacked jurisdiction to intervene in a state criminal case, particularly before all appeals in state courts were exhausted.

Trump’s legal team claimed the sentencing process would interfere with his transition to power and argued that evidence introduced during the trial included official actions protected under the Supreme Court’s prior ruling granting former presidents immunity for official conduct. Merchan, the New York judge who presided over the trial, ruled in December that the evidence presented was unrelated to Trump’s duties as president.

Prosecutors dismissed Trump’s objections, stating that the sentencing would take less than an hour and could be attended virtually. They said the public interest in proceeding to sentencing outweighed the President-elect’s claims of undue burden.

Justice Samuel Alito, one of the four dissenting justices, confirmed speaking to Trump by phone on Wednesday. Alito insisted the conversation did not involve the case, though the call drew criticism given his previous refusals to recuse himself from politically sensitive matters.

The sentencing hearing is set for Friday at 9:30 a.m. in Manhattan. As the nation moves closer to an unprecedented inauguration, questions about the implications of a convicted felon assuming the presidency remain.

“No one is above the law,” Bragg said.

Stacy M. Brown

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Barbara Lee Launches Campaign for Mayor of Oakland

“At this critical moment, we must not be a city divided, but a community united,” she Lee. “If elected I will bring my hands-on leadership, new ideas and decades of experience in identifying billions in resources for our great city, so all residents and businesses are stronger and safer and our community has optimism and confidence in Oakland’s future.”

Published

5 days ago

January 8, 2025

Oakland Post

By Post Staff

Barbara Lee on Wednesday morning formally announced her candidacy for Mayor in Oakland’s April 15 special election.

“Time and time again, Oaklanders have faced our toughest obstacles by uniting to meet our challenges,” said Lee.

“At this critical moment, we must not be a city divided but a community united,” she said. “If elected, I will bring my hands-on leadership, new ideas, and decades of experience in identifying billions in resources for our great city so all residents and businesses are stronger and safer and our community has optimism and confidence in Oakland’s future.”

“As Mayor, I’ll address our homelessness crisis, prioritize comprehensive public safety and mental health services, and lead with fiscal responsibility to deliver the core City services residents and business owners deserve. Let’s do this – together.”

“I’ve never shied away from a challenge,” said Lee. “I’m always ready to fight for Oakland.”

Watch her campaign video here, which is online at BarbaraLee4Oakland.com