"Bad Blood"

For John, BLUF:  .  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Vaccine skepticism lurks in town famous for syphilis study

From the Associzated Press, by Reporter Jay Reeves, 1 February 2021.

Here is the lede plus two:

TUSKEGEE, Ala. (AP) — Lucenia Dunn spent the early days of the coronavirus pandemic encouraging people to wear masks and keep a safe distance from each other in Tuskegee, a mostly Black city where the government once used unsuspecting African American men as guinea pigs in a study of a sexually transmitted disease.

Now, the onetime mayor of the town immortalized as the home of the infamous “Tuskegee syphilis study” is wary of getting inoculated against COVID-19. Among other things, she’s suspicious of the government promoting a vaccine that was developed in record time when it can’t seem to conduct adequate virus testing or consistently provide quality rural health care.

“I’m not doing this vaccine right now. That doesn’t mean I’m never going to do it. But I know enough to withhold getting it until we see all that is involved,” said Dunn, who is Black.

Sometimes it isn't what you don't know that gets you in trouble, but what you do know that isn't applicable.

The Tuskeegee Syphilis Experiment was a blot on America and on the medical profession.  And, as one should expect, it left a heritage of distrust in Tuskeegee, Alabama, and the surrounding area.

...conducted between 1932 and 1972 by the United States Public Health Service (PHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Yes, that CDC.  If your Uncle had been allowed to suffer from some disease, when a cure was available, to satisfy the interest of scientists, would you be distrustful?  I think I might be.

However, the issue is bigger than the Tuskeege Syphilis Experiment.  There are others distrustful of Government, or indifferent to Government, who are not interested in a Vaccine, or in following actions to prevent the spread of COVID-19.  For example, the Homeless.

We a larger effort, a whole of Government effort.  Not one that browbeats, but one that embraces.  That means leadership, as opposed to inchargeship.  That means a community approach.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff