Times Staff Report
Door knockers about the COVID-19 vaccine hung on over 3,000 doors around the Smithfield community on Monday thanks to the work of some local entities.
Jefferson County Commissioner Sheila Tyson, the Housing Authority of the Birmingham District (HABD) and the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s (UAB) Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Center (MHRC) partnered in an effort to help decrease vaccine hesitancy and increase vaccine awareness.
“We’re here to get information out to the communities about COVID-19 vaccine availability for citizens 16 and older,” said Tyson. “We think this is a very urgent matter for our community. The mask mandate has been lifted and we do not want our numbers going up… we are pleading to the community to take advantage of this opportunity. Today, we’re giving people the correct information that they need to make healthy choices for themselves and their families.”
HABD provided the canvassing workers through their Section Three program, UAB provided the door knockers and a stipend and Commissioner Tyson provided training for the workers.
Tiffany Osborne, MHRC director of community engagement said this information for residents could not have come at a better time.
“We at the UAB Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Center know these projects don’t get done without the strength of our partnerships so we worked very closely with our partners to develop information that is timely as well as informative,” she said.
Chassidy Paige, a canvassing volunteer said informing people about the vaccine is extremely important.
“We want people to get out there and get the vaccination,” she said. “It’s important for us to be out here talking to people and informing them, it’s something that I would take time out every day to do if I could. People have been very happy to see us and have been very receptive of what we’re doing.”
