Englewood neighborhood lags behind others in vaccination rates
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Jonathan Brooks is an Englewood resident and pastor. He's been using the power of the pulpit to persuade people to get vaccinated.
"We have to encourage and keep encouraging people, motivating them to look at their own personal health, but to look at the communal impact of getting vaccinated," he said.
Englewood was one of six areas Mayor Lightfoot called out during a press conference Sunday, saying they're lagging behind the rest of the city in vaccinations. The others were South Deering, South Shore, Auburn-Gresham, Austin and Roseland.
Alderman Stephanie Coleman, 16th Ward, said her office has been stressing to residents who haven't been vaccinated that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective.
"I want our young people, especially our young people who are going back to school and those who are going back into the workforce, please get your shot," she said.
With the Delta variant spreading throughout the country, city leaders and health officials said residents can't afford to wait any longer to get the vaccine.
"Those individuals that have been vaccinated are much less likely to have hospitalizations or death," said Magda Houlberg, the chief clinical officer of Howard Brown Health.
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Howard Brown Health has a clinic in Englewood offering the vaccine. Houlberg said it's going to take some creativity and flexibility to get more people vaccinated.
"At this point I think we still haven't made it easy enough or available enough. I believe there is demand that's not being met. That is really just a function of where we are providing the vaccine," she said.
