Chairman Clyburn’s Opening Remarks at Vaccine Equity Briefing
Washington, D.C. (February 19, 2021) — Below are the opening remarks, as prepared for delivery, of Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis Chairman James E. Clyburn at today's briefing with public health experts on ensuring equity in coronavirus vaccinations:
"Good afternoon. I want to thank everyone for joining us here this afternoon to discuss the critical issue of ensuring equity in coronavirus vaccinations.
"The coronavirus pandemic has hurt all Americans, but some communities have shouldered an especially heavy burden.
"Black, Hispanic, and Native Americans have been infected with the coronavirus at higher rates than white Americans. They are nearly four times as likely to be hospitalized and twice as likely to die from the virus. Many members of these communities are front-line workers who continue to face serious health risks in the workplace.
"And it's not only about race—other vulnerable communities, including lower-income and rural communities, have faced disproportionate hardships during this crisis as well, especially in recent months.
"I am grateful that millions of Americans are now receiving coronavirus vaccines, but the evidence is clear that our most vulnerable communities are at risk of being left behind.
"More than 57 million doses of coronavirus vaccines have been administered so far in this country. But only 9 percent of those who received vaccines are Hispanic and only 6 percent are Black, even though these groups together represent nearly a third of the U.S. population.
"As we work to vaccinate all Americans, we must ensure that the communities hardest hit by the virus have equitable access to the vaccine and are being vaccinated at equitable rates. Failure to achieve vaccination equity would not only compound the suffering in these communities—failure would also delay or even derail containment of the virus across the country, which could hinder a safe return to normal life for everyone.
"The causes of disparities in vaccinations are becoming clear. Many lower-income Americans lack reliable internet access and may struggle to sign up for vaccine appointments. Others do not own a car and may not be able to reach a vaccine site.
"In rural communities, residents often have to travel long distances to get access to vaccines and may not have access to pharmacies or clinics with the ultra-cold storage capacity needed to store vaccine doses.
"Vaccine hesitancy is another obstacle. While a substantial majority of Americans currently plan to get vaccinated, others have expressed concerns. In the Black community, centuries of discrimination in health care has resulted in mistrust that we must work to address.
"Let there be no doubt: the coronavirus vaccines authorized by the medical experts at the FDA are safe, and they effectively prevent people from getting sick and dying of this horrible disease. I was vaccinated as soon as the vaccine was available to me, and I urge every American to get vaccinated as soon as the vaccine is available to them.
"Achieving vaccination equity will take planning, coordination, and resources. This Committee and many others warned of the challenge months ago, but the previous Administration ignored us. Their refusal to exert national leadership resulted in chaos and confusion—with the wealthy and the well-connected far more likely to get vaccines than the poor.
"The Biden Administration has brought a fresh approach that has already shown promising results.
"Weekly shipments of vaccine doses to states are up 57% in the last month, and millions of doses are now being shipped directly to pharmacies and community health centers.
"The new Administration has also purchased an additional 200 million doses of approved vaccines—meaning that the county will finally have enough doses to vaccinate everyone.
"And the CDC is taking on vaccine hesitancy by teaming up with partners to launch an awareness campaign in Black communities. As vaccines become more widely available, we will need to accelerate our efforts to educate all communities about the safety, efficacy, and importance of receiving coronavirus vaccines.
"I am particularly grateful to the new Administration for establishing a COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force, which will help ensure an equitable response to the pandemic.
"The next step is for Congress to pass the American Rescue Plan, which provides billions of dollars for a national vaccination campaign. It will allow us to hire more workers to administer vaccines, create over 1,000 mass vaccination sites, and use mobile vaccination units to reach underserved communities.
"These measures will go a long way to address inequity in vaccinations, but more must be done. I look forward to hearing from today's briefers about additional steps we can take to ensure all Americans have access to a coronavirus vaccine and have confidence in the vaccine's safety and efficacy."
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