MU medical students visit black businesses to talk about COVID-19 vaccine

by Brock Higley

Mon, February 22nd 2021, 7:57 PM UTC

Abdoulie Njai speaks with a customer at a Columbia restaurant Sunday about an upcoming webinar to assuage concerns about the coronavirus vaccines in the black community. Njai said he had powerful conversations throughout the day where he and his partners were able to change peoples minds regarding the vaccine.{ }(Brock Higley/KRCG 13){p}{/p}

Three MU health students (from left to right: Michela Fabricius, Deidre Dillon, Abdoulie Njai) share information about an upcoming webinar designed to give the black community more information about coronavirus vaccines. The students spent most of Sunday going around Columbia and handing out fliers for the webinar to black businesses. (Brock Higley/KRCG 13){p}{/p}

VIEW ALL PHOTOS

Abdoulie Njai speaks with a customer at a Columbia restaurant Sunday about an upcoming webinar to assuage concerns about the coronavirus vaccines in the black community. Njai said he had powerful conversations throughout the day where he and his partners were able to change peoples minds regarding the vaccine. (Brock Higley/KRCG 13)

COLUMBIA — Three MU medical students traveled to black-owned businesses across Columbia Sunday to better inform them of the COVID-19 vaccine.

With a lot of vaccine hesitance within the black community, these students wanted to take action and stop the spread of misinformation.

Abdoulie Njai, a third-year medical student and event organizer, said the information he and his partners are sharing is critical to the black community.

“I think right now is a very important time to have these conversations," Njai said. "One thing that’s been going around is vaccine hesitancy in the black community, and I think the only way to truly address that is by going into the community and to meet people where there are and having frank conversations with those people where we’re able to hear those questions and concerns.”

Njai’s group was handing out flyers inviting black business owners and associates to an online community forum.

This forum will be led by black doctors and nurses, and it will be a place for people of color to ask any question or concern and receive honest feedback from healthcare professionals.

Michela Fabricius, one of the medical students handing out fliers with Njai, said she wanted to protect her community and especially her family by educating them to the best of her ability.

"I’m in this because I’m here to protect my family, my community," Fabricius said. "If I can establish relationships with the community and if I can put myself out there in anyway I can to explain science, explain what vaccines are, help to eliminate any mistrust, I’m here to do that.

Njai said he and his team had powerful conversations with people from the black community throughout the day, and he hopes to continue educating those that need the right advice.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION (

)

The online forum will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 21. You can join the webinar either here or by calling 929-205-6099.

Loading ...