St. Louis to Bring Vaccines to Black-Owned Barbershops and Salons

With COVID and its Delta variant spreading in Missouri, St. Louis is aiming to bring vaccines to Black-owned barbershops and beauty salons through the "Shots at the Shop" program.

Around 44 percent of the state's population has initiated vaccination, but only 28 percent of Missouri's Black residents have gotten at least one shot, according to the state's vaccine dashboard. The disparity persists nationwide, and health experts are urging governments to reach people who might not be interested in participating in large vaccine events.

That's where Shots at the Shop comes in. Announced earlier this month by the Biden administration, the program is a collaboration between the White House, the Black Coalition Against COVID, SheaMoisture, and the University of Maryland Center for Health Equity.

"St. Louis is ready to plug into this exciting national program to help more residents get vaccinated," Dr. Frederick Echols, acting director for the City of St. Louis, said in a press release. “I encourage interested businesses to reach out to the Department of Health to be a part of this opportunity.”

Read more: https://www.riverfronttimes.com/newsblog/2021/06/28/st-louis-to-bring-vaccines-to-black-owned-barbershops-and-salons