蜜芽传媒

As Covid cases continue to rise in the US, there has been much talk of the "pandemic of the unvaccinated" and a sense that that group is to blame.

The paediatrician and public health advocate Dr Rhea Boyd has spent the past few months meeting hundreds of people across the US to talk about their reasons for not being vaccinated, and persuade them otherwise. She says people who have not yet been jabbed are often misunderstood and demonised.

She told Newsday: 鈥淭he term 鈥榰nvaccinated鈥� groups together what is really an incredibly diverse group. We use terms like 鈥榯he unvaccinated鈥� often to vilify people. One of the main barriers that we heard from folks is that they are worried about the cost. The cost of forgone wages, the cost of having to get childcare to make that trip and having to pay for transportation if you don鈥檛 have a car.鈥�

鈥淭he unvaccinated as a population also includes folks our healthcare system has chronically underserved. Communities who have historically not had equal access to healthcare like black folks in this country.鈥�

Photo: Dr Rhea Boyd has met with hundreds of unvaccinated people to hear their concerns (Rhea Boyd)

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