“How can I trust them?”: Inside Black Americans’ very justified vaccine skepticism
December 4, 2020On Wednesday, the United States reported over 2,800 deaths due to coronavirus in a single day. This grim figure marks the highest single-day death count ever recorded in the U.S. In November alone, the U.S. reported over 4 million coronavirus cases, more than what most countries have seen all year. With the federal government failing on multiple levels, some Americans are looking to one new savior: a coronavirus vaccine.
This week, the United Kingdom became the first country to approve U.S.-based Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech’s vaccine, with plans to roll out shots next week. While the U.S. hasn’t reached a decision as fast, an advisory committee of the Food and Drug Administration will meet on Dec. 10 to determine whether or not it will grant emergency approval to Pfizer. The decision will then go on to the FDA itself. Along with Pfizer’s vaccine, scientists are reviewing data from Moderna.