February 17, 2021

Duckworth Hosts Q&A Session to Help Address COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Concerns with Healthcare Providers

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today hosted a roundtable with Illinois healthcare organizations and providers to address and mitigate hesitancy among those eligible for receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, especially among healthcare workers. Duckworth was joined by leaders from the Illinois Nurses Association, Illinois State Medical Society and the Chicago Department of Public Health to discuss how federal and local entities can better support each other in addressing medical racism, educational and scientific outreach as well as cultural sensitivity to help ensure healthcare workers and their communities feel safe in taking this vaccine. Link to a video of today’s roundtable is available here.

“Our frontline healthcare workers have worked tirelessly to keep us safe throughout this pandemic, but now that work means getting themselves vaccinated,” Duckworth said. “Our healthcare workers have a responsibility to set an example in their communities and be leaders, showing that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. I’ll keep working to increase access to vaccines and do everything I can to increase awareness that these vaccines are not only safe—they are one of the best things any of us can do to help end this pandemic and get things back to normal.”

Duckworth has been a leader in helping ensure states and municipalities have the resources they need to equitably and effectively distribute COVID-19 vaccines and ensuring Illinoisans know the vaccine is safe. Duckworth has recently announced nearly $900 million in federal funding for Illinois to support vaccine distribution, as well as expanding testing. Duckworth has also held a series of virtual roundtables with Black and Latinx community leaders in Chicago and the Metro East to discuss the disproportionate public health impact of COVID-19 on people of color as well as plans to equitably distribute a safe vaccine to these communities across Illinois.