Montreal’s Black and Jamaican community look to combat COVID-19 vaccine misinformation

Amid the ongoing pandemic, many of us have relied on virtual meetings either for work or personal life but for some in Montreal’s Black community, it’s been a critical tool in getting the word out about vaccine safety and efficacy.

The Jamaica Association of Montreal has been holding town halls on Zoom to ensure racialized citizens receive information and have confidence in healthcare.

“Within Black communities, there is a distrust in terms of medical system,” Sharon Nelson, First VP, Jamaica Association of Montreal told CityNews. “Are they going to treat me the right way? Are they understanding what I’m feeling? And what I’m going through, and as a Black person, is that going to translate into better health treatment for me?”

#WATCH: “There was distrust,” says Sharon Nelson of the Jamaica Association of Montreal, of some members of the Black community not having a good relationship with the healthcare system, leading to vaccine hesitancy. The organization has been providing information to members. pic.twitter.com/Rsp3L2CBpj

— Alyssia (@rubertuccinews) December 10, 2021

“There’s so many different marginalized groups that we have seen for decades that don’t get access to care,” Seeta Ramdass, with the MUHC Users’ Committee & Patient Advocate said.

#WATCH: “It’s most of the marginalized groups that were the casualties,” says patient advocate, Seeta Ramdass, who’s been helping raise awareness about vaccine safety and efficacy to the Black community through the use of town halls. She says they were adversely affected by COVID pic.twitter.com/Hp6349QPWP

— Alyssia (@rubertuccinews) December 10, 2021

“They’re missing out on so many aspects of the social services system in terms of getting support they need. And COVID came along and magnified that because we saw most of these marginalized groups that were the casualties.”

A Leger survey in January – commissioned by researchers from McGill University and the Black community Resource Centre of Montreal – found at least one in ten young Black adults across Canada reported having COVID infections during the pandemic, 2.5 times higher than the general population.

Since the start of vaccinations, Quebecers have rolled up their sleeves, with 78.2 per cent of those 5+ with two shots so far.

Vaccination rates for those 5-11 are progressing, 35.7 per cent of them have received a first dose, while close to half of this group has taken their first appointment or gotten that initial jab.

But some have been reluctant still, which is why the Jamaica Association, public health and other community groups launched town halls with speakers from racialized communities.

“It’s part of that trust-building. Also, we know the level of which to communicate to relay their fears,” said Radmass.

“One of the approaches that I personally used was to talk to our community, when I say our community, I am a part of that community – socioculturally,” she added.

“And I talked to them about the fact that we have a lot of information about the vaccine. A lot of it is available. The vaccine has been developed by the world’s top scientific communities.”

“The goal of the town hall is to equip people to be able to talk about COVID vaccinations with their entourage, with their friends or family who might’ve been hesitant also,” said Florence Lecours-Cyr, with Montreal Public Health.

The Black community groups have now established a partnership with public health using the town halls as a way to open up a dialogue with them on how their community can be better served when it comes to the pandemic.