CLEVELAND — They want to make sure their neighbors have the facts when it comes to coronavirus vaccines. A group of grandmas, aunts, uncles and more are teaming up to boost vaccination rates in their communities.
Go to any church, nail salon or barber shop and you’ll probably see them. They are the Guardians Cle. They’re not part of Cleveland’s baseball team; their game is getting more people vaccinated in their neighborhoods.
Kevin Heard represents Cleveland’s Lee-Harvard community. He’s the host of a show called “Chill Talk,” and runs a nonprofit called My Chill Solutions. He’s using his platform to separate fact from fiction.
“We have so much misleading information in the community, it makes it hard to know what the facts are. I tell people, ‘Go to the people that you trust, the experts… YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, that can’t be your primary source of information,” said Heard.
He hopes the facts will boost vaccination rates in Black and Hispanic communities.According to the CDC, the vaccination rate among Blacks is about 25%. Among Hispanics, the rate is about 32%.
The hope of the Guardians Cle. is that a combination of community leaders sharing vaccination facts and commercials will make a difference.
The Guardians Cle website has information on where to get vaccinated, and a Q&A section explaining why you should get your shot.
“I encourage you if you are hesitant on the vaccine, get your information about it. If you’re not hesitant and you’re just slow taking your time, make that appointment, go out and get it,” said Heard.
