Local team works to educate about vaccines

During the pandemic, which began in the spring of 2020, some areas of the state have been more heavily affected than others, with Kemper County being one of those areas.

In fact, DeKalb Alderman Tracy Naylor stated he believes the community has been one of the hardest-hit in the state. For this reason, Delta Health Alliance is working with a local team to help educate residents about the COVID vaccines and the importance of being vaccinated, with Naylor heading up that group.

Delta Health Alliance is a non-profit organization that seeks to understand the fundamental causes of poor health in the region through comprehensive research programs and statistical analysis of relevant data, and based on the research results will fund programs to increase access to health care and education for residents.

Naylor and team members Wallace Grady, Rontal Jenkins, and Margaret Jackson are part of that education process as they engage local residents wherever they possibly can. The team goes to churches, schools, parking lots or wherever people might be found to present true and accurate information about the vaccines.

Naylor stated that only about 40 percent of Kemper County residents have received the COVID vaccinations, but in the three months the team has been working they have seen an increase in the numbers, so it appears that their efforts are working.

Vaccinations are available at the Health Department, and periodically there are other locations such as the Farmers Market, Kemper County High School, and on certain days at EMCC. Those times and locations are advertised on social media, television, radio, and the newspaper. Churches also alert their members. These vaccine drives are held every couple of weeks, and it should be noted that the vaccines are free of charge.

Naylor added, "I would just like to tell the people that the vaccines work. I have gotten vaccinated myself. I have seen that the vaccines help save lives."

He also noted that most of those who die from the virus are mostly the unvaccinated.