Deaconess Community, 

In our March Newsletter, we acknowledged the anniversary of the World Health Organization declaring COVID-19 a global pandemic and the traumatic and disproportionate impact of the pandemic on Black and Brown communities. We also recognized the need for equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines so those seeking to be vaccinated in communities with increased risk of illness and death have access to doses of the vaccine. 

As the supply of COVID-19 vaccines is steadily increasing in the St. Louis region, over the course of the next few weeks, we hope to provide information and resources that are helpful to you in making an informed decision about vaccination. We will bring insights from people in our community who are deeply engaged in COVID-19 response and recovery efforts, share the work of our partners addressing health disparities and invite you to share resources that have been helpful for you and may be shared with others by contacting us at info@deaconess.org. 

In this edition, Angela Fleming Brown, CEO of the St. Louis Regional Health Commission (RHC), addresses inequity in the health care system, provides a list of considerations that may factor into your individual decision to get vaccinated or not, and a link to resources that can help you to make an informed choice for you, your family and/or community. Ultimately, the choice is yours to make.

In service to our children, 



Cheryl D.S. Walker

Interim President and CEO

Deaconess Foundation

At the St. Louis Regional Health Commission (RHC), our mission is to improve equitable access and outcomes for uninsured and underinsured residents of St. Louis City and County. Since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been committed to working with our partners to make sure access to COVID-19 testing and vaccines are easily accessible in our Black and Brown communities. In partnership with PrepareSTL, we are working to ensure communities of color have the power (knowledge) to prepare and prevail against COVID-19. We have funded COVID-19 testing at our community health centers located in communities of color. In addition, we are advocating for equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines in communities that have been impacted most by the disease.

As a Black woman, I know for many of us, unfortunately, we do not have to look all the way back to the Tuskegee Syphilis Study to understand the fear and distrust of the health care system. Through the growing health disparities, lack of access to health care services and quality of care provided to many people in our communities, we can see the evidence of systemic racism embodied throughout the entire health care system that continues to give us pause about the care we receive.

Now, we must make a choice to get vaccinated for a disease that has once again disproportionately impacted Black and Brown communities. To be cautious about a new vaccine is only natural. I hope you take the time to review the facts to make an informed choice that is best for you and your family. Here are a few things for you to consider:

For factual, transparent information, talk to your doctor and/or visit preparestl.com. After weighing the information, I have decided that taking the vaccine is the best choice for me and my family. Whatever choice you make, remember the choice is yours! Don’t forget to stay safe by continuing to wear your masks, wash your hands and social distance.

PrepareSTL is a collaborative campaign powered by the Missouri Foundation for Health in partnership with the Regional Health Commission, the City of St. Louis, St. Louis County, and other community health organizations to help prepare all St. Louisans for the effects of the COVID-19 response, how to stop its spread, and how to survive the pandemic physically, emotionally, and economically.

Deaconess Foundation provides funding to PrepareSTL through its Responsive Grant portfolio. The grant supports youth engagement in developing accessible vaccine education resources to help youth and young adults make informed choices regarding their health during the pandemic.

Learn more about PrepareSTL at: preparestl.com.

The following infographic is provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We encourage you to use the information to make an informed decision regarding the vaccine.

Learn more about Covid-19 vaccine safety: cdc.gov/coronavirus/vaccines.

The supply of COVID-19 vaccines is steadily increasing in the St. Louis region. In Missouri, all adults will become eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine by April 9. In Illinois, anyone 16-years-old or older will become eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine on April 12, however in Madison and St. Clair Counties, anyone 16-years-old or older in those counties are now eligible.

Most vaccinations are administered by appointment only. For those seeking an appointment, additional information may be found by accessing the links below:

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COVID-19 testing continues to be an important factor in suppressing the pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that anyone with any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 get tested, regardless of vaccination status or prior infection. The CDC also recommends testing for those who have had close contact (within 6 feet for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period) with someone with confirmed COVID-19, with the caveats that: (1) Fully vaccinated people with no COVID-19 symptoms do not need to be tested following an exposure to someone with COVID-19 and (2) People who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past three (3) months and recovered do not need to get tested following an exposure as long as they do not develop new symptoms.

Testing is also recommended for people who have taken part in activities that put them at higher risk for COVID-19 because they cannot physically distance as needed to avoid exposure, such as travel, attending large social or mass gatherings, or being in crowded or poorly ventilated indoor settings

COVID-19 testing is still available across the St. Louis Metropolitan region. Information and testing site locations may be found by accessing the links below:

Getting tested can still help to mitigate transmission of COVID-19. The goal is to detect cases early to help reduce further spread of the virus.

Emily Woodbury | St. Louis Public Radio

Featured: The St. Louis American

All Missouri adults will become eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine by April 9, and all those 16 and older in Illinois become eligible on April 12. Yet, many still have questions — such as how the vaccines work against coronavirus variants and which vaccine is the best to receive.

“Whatever vaccine is available to you the earliest is the best one for you,” said Dr. Dan Hoft, an infectious disease physician, “because they all are shown to be safe, they all work, and the earlier we get people vaccinated, the earlier we can get back to normal life.”

Hoft is the director of St. Louis University’s Center for Vaccine Development. He joined Tuesday’s St. Louis on the Air to discuss the latest vaccine news and answer listener questions, such as why one vaccine would lead to a stronger bodily reaction than others and why some people experience an arm rash after receiving the vaccine.

SLU’s Center for Vaccine Development was involved in developing and testing the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines currently in use. Now, the center is starting a clinical trial that aims to develop a second-generation vaccine that will be effective against coronavirus variants. Read more>>>

Elizabeth Yuko | Rolling Stone

When Dr. Thomas Beavers concluded Sunday service on March 15th, 2020, he never imagined that it would be the last time he’d see congregants fill the pews of the New Rising Star Church — affectionately known as “The Star” in the Eastlake community of Birmingham, Alabama — for at least a year. Since then, Beavers, who serves as pastor to approximately 3,800 members of the church, has held weekly services online.

At the beginning of the pandemic, Beavers says that many members of The Star had questions similar to those being asked elsewhere in the country — like whether Covid-19 is real, and why it meant suspending in-person worship. “When people started hearing of Covid-19, and how bad it was, there was a lot of disbelief,” Beavers tells Rolling Stone. “And then when people started seeing loved ones dying of Covid-19, the disbelief immediately turned to fear — of both the virus and the unknown. Then, we saw that not only did Black people get it, but when we got it, we were not doing as well as our Caucasian counterparts.”

Once the Covid-19 vaccine rollout began at the end of 2020, Beavers found himself addressing other areas of concern within his community. Read more>>>