Vaccination Event Held At Lillie C. Evans Elementary In Miami
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - United Teachers of Dade believe the race is against the clock to get as many employees vaccinated as possible.
In light of 3 fallen teachers who died recently due to COVID, United Teachers of Dade held up a pop-up vaccine at Lillie C. Evans to honor them.
"I'm kind of iffy with the vaccine period," Monik Carr, a mom said.
CBS 4 spoke with Carr as she showed up to get her children tested for COVID, there had been a case at their school.
The day started with about 8 people who came in the first hour for their shots. Not huge, but a start.
"Let me tell you this as a principal I would knock on doors to make sure the children attended school," Miami-Dade School Board Member Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall said.
Bendross-Mindingall who served as principal at the school came to help spread the word. She believes it could be time to revisit old-school tactics.
"I want to talk to you about COVID," Amber Hayward said at a restaurant to people inside.
Hayward in the meantime is taking the message to heart. She used to work with Mr. Abe Coleman who caught COVID before school even started and passed. He's inspired her to do outreach.
"We're not vaccinated at rates as high as other communities, do you think it's our leaders' fault? Or is it the community?" she asked a person at World Famous Ribs and Seafood.
Kenneth Ivery answered, "It's the community, leaders can't make people get the shot." He went on to explain that there is a hesitancy, and it does require more people like Hayward, someone from the community to spread that message.
"It's not just Liberty City it's underserved communities with the lack of education," Hayward explained.
Hayward is trying to help people understand, without making anyone feel bad, but she's just one person.
"This delta variant is very serious, and we have lost a lot of lives," Phyllis Leflore, AFSCME President said.
Leflore told CBS 4, about 125 bus drivers and related employees are out sick due to COVID. Many of whom work and live in predominantly black neighborhoods where the vaccination rate is low. However, it takes convincing to get people to roll up their sleeves.
"The lady just caught me, and she said if you keep thinking about it, you're never going to get it done," Monik Carr recalled.
Carr ended up getting the shot, and each shot like it is potentially life-saving.
UTD estimates about 40 people got their shots this Tuesday. They plan to host another vaccination event next month.