ST. LOUIS — As more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine roll out, some people may be hesitant to roll up their sleeves, including minority communities.
That's why Esmeralda Aharon, program director for St. Louis University's Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, aims to hand out facts and debunk myths when it comes to vaccines and the Latinx community.
In order to do that, the office is hosting a webinar for Spanish speakers.
Aharon said one myth is that the vaccine can make you sterile. For some, it's also about trust, or lack thereof, in government.
Antonio Maldonado, the chairman of the Hispanic Leaders Group of Greater St. Louis, said the Puerto Rican community has very little hesitancy about the vaccine.
But that's not the case for everyone, especially those who are undocumented.
"If you're an immigrant from Mexico (or) Central America, then you are more distrustful of anything government. They don't want to go to registration sites and give out what they feel is a lot of personal information," said Maldonado.
Aharon agrees and adds that no one will turn in their information — undocumented or not.
For others, like Venezuelans, Cubans and Colombians, Maldonado said they may have distrust, but will look at Hispanic leaders about their take on the vaccine.
A language barrier could also block information.
Aharon wants to make it clear: it's crucial to give accurate details so you can create an informed decision.
"We do need herd immunity. We do need everybody to cooperate," Maldonado said.
SLU's webinar, which is open to the public, is March 2 at 4:30 p.m. There will be several speakers, including an immigration law specialist.
Click here to complete the required online registration.