Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price Gets 1st COVID-19 Vaccine Dose: 'I'm Trying To Show Leadership And Show The Way'
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - There are specific efforts underway to get more people from Dallas' minority-dominant neighborhoods to get vaccinated.
On Monday, March 1, the longest serving elected leader in Dallas County, Commissioner John Wiley Price, received his first COVID-19 vaccine.
Price admitted he doesn't care for needles, but his decision to receive his first of two COVID-19 vaccine shots was in part, a means to try to get other Dallas County Black and Latino adults to put aside their apprehension and follow his example.
Public health data shows close to 40% of all COVID-19 infections for Dallas County are among Hispanics and non-Hispanic African Americans.
FEMA, Parkland Hospital and Dallas County Health and Human Services are all providing vaccinations in Price's Southern Dallas County District.
The man known as "Our Man Downtown" said he need to advocate for the vaccine for getting the shot for all to see.
"I'm trying to show leadership and show the way," he said. "This is not about an individual, it's about a community. This is just important for everybody, but particularly for African Americans and Hispanics."
Price also said he needed to dispel misinformation about the vaccine and remind people it is safe.