Dr. Marcus Wallace has heard the skeptics. He’s seen the headlines about lingering mistrust regarding Pfizer-BioNTech’s groundbreaking COVID-19 vaccine.
But, as a hospitalist at St. Tammany Health System in Covington, he’s also a man of science and reason, which is why he was so eager to lead by example on Thursday (Dec. 17), becoming one of the first people in the country to receive the vaccine.
“I’m excited. I’ve been looking forward to this day for months,” Dr. Wallace said moments after receiving the first of his two-dose COVID vaccine, delivered by injection to his right arm.
“I’ve heard words like ‘game-changer’ when people talk about the vaccine. My word is ‘no-brainer,’” he added. “Everybody should get it. I feel like, if you don’t get the vaccine, you’re not just putting yourself at risk. You’re putting your family at risk, You’re putting the community at risk.”
As the father of six children, the Madisonville resident has more than enough reason to make sure he doesn’t bring the virus home. The same goes for his wife, who works with critically ill patients at St. Tammany Health System’s Covington hospital – and who, he said, also fully intends to get the vaccine.
They’re by no means alone. On Wednesday, the first day the vaccine was available locally, some 50 STHS colleagues got their shots. An estimated 70 more got it on Thursday. More and more are being scheduled to receive it with each passing day.
After an often-grueling 2020, the excitement over the prospect of finally getting the upper hand on the coronavirus was palpable throughout the hospital, particularly in its on-site pop-up vaccine clinic.
That feeling isn’t universal, though. For example, skepticism abounds in communities of color, fueled by a well-documented mistrust of the medical establishment stemming from historical episodes such as the Tuskegee experiments.
The fact that African-American communities also have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 only makes the situation even more troubling for people including Dr. Wallace, who is African-American.
That’s why he is calling upon people of influence in the community, including business people, political officials and church leaders, to use their voices “to encourage, not discourage.”
As for everyone else, Dr. Wallace’s advice is simple. “Be educated,” he said. “Don’t just listen to others. Listen to the experts, your personal physician, the CDC. Read.”
He added: “This is not about a specific race. This is about everybody. It’s real. It can affect anyone and everyone.”