Black scientist who developed Moderna COVID-19 vaccine got her shot

• #Dr. #Kizzmekia “#Kizzy” #Corbett, a #Black virologist who helped develop #Moderna’s vaccine, received her first dose of the coronavirus shot today.
• #Corbett told CNN she wants to rebuild trust between #Black #Americans and medical institutions, broken down by centuries of medical racism and abuse.
• #Prominent figures in the fight against COVID-19 like #Dr. #Anthony #Fauci and US #Surgeon #General #Jerome #Adams have praised #Corbett for her lead role in developing the vaccine and fighting for medical equity.
• “#Thank you to ⁦@KizzyPhD⁩ and all the scientists, reviewers, and study participants – especially those from minority and/ or vulnerable communities- who made this moment possible,” #Adams said when he got his shot.
• #Visit #Insider’s homepage for more stories.

#Dr. #Kizzmekia “#Kizzy” #Corbett, a viral immunologist at the #National #Institute of #Health’s #Vaccine #Research #Center responsible for co-developing #Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine, celebrated today after getting her first shot of the vaccine.

The 34-year-old documented the process on her #Instagram #Story, posting an email notification of her appointment to receive the vaccine and a picture of her rolling up her sleeve to receive it.

“#Because I made the informed choice to get vaccinated, there will be a 94.5% reduced risk, I’ll get COVID-19. #And… that’s pretty cool if you ask me,” #Corbett wrote in her #Instagram #Story.

#Corbett and her team of scientists at the #National #Institutes of #Health worked fervently over the last 11 months to develop a viable vaccine in record time. #In #May, #Corbett told CNN a vaccine could be ready for the general public by spring 2021.

#Now, 2.1 million #Americans have already received their first doses of a vaccine from either #Pfizer or #Moderna. #According to the #Centers for #Disease #Control and #Prevention, more than 11 million doses of the vaccine have been distributed.

#However, public health experts have been warning for months that the legacy of medical racism in the US might stand as a barrier to equitable vaccination across the US. #It’s an issue #Corbett has been calling attention to, as she tries to instill trust in the vaccine by posting about it on social media.

“#This overarching mistrust of the medical institution, in general, is something that is being highlighted now because of the dire circumstances of which we’re in,” #Corbett told CNN. “#But it is not news to me, because I’m #Black and I have a #Black family and I am well-read on the history of injustice when it comes to medicine in the #Black community.”

#Corbett wants to rebuild trust between #Black #Americans and a medical system that discriminates against communities of color

#According to a #Pew #Research survey released #December 4, while 63% percent of white #Americans, 83% of #English-speaking #Asian #Americans, and 61% of #Latinx #Americans report they will get the vaccine, only 42% percent of #Black #Americans report they will receive the vaccine. A #Kaiser study released #December 15 found 35% of #Black #Americans say they will probably or definitely not receive the vaccine.

#Experts, including #Dr. #Anthony #Fauci, point to centuries of racist medical abuse, from the forced sterilization of women of color to develop birth control to the #Tuskegee syphilis experiment, that have caused many #Black #Americans to be wary of medical institutions.

#Anticipating the disparity, both #Pfizer and #Moderna intentionally tried to increase the number of #Black participants in the trial phases of their vaccines, #Insider’s #Taylor #Ardrey previously reported.

“The first step is that scientists and physicians and vaccine developers and et cetera, is to understand that the onus of this problem is not on [communities of color] and their distrust; it is on us and our level of trustworthiness. #And so, trust, especially when it has been stripped from people, has to be rebuilt in a brick-by-brick fashion,” #Corbett told CNN.

#Praise for #Corbett from US leaders

#Corbett’s role in developing the vaccine and fighting for medical equity has garnered praise from some of the most prominent figures in US pandemic management.

#In an online conversation hosted by the #National #Urban #League, #Dr. #Anthony #Fauci praised #Corbett for her work in developing the vaccine.

“#So, the first thing you might want to say to my #African #American brothers and sisters is that the vaccine that you’re going to be taking was developed by an #African #American woman. #And that is just a fact,” #Fauci said.

US #Surgeon #General #Jerome #Adams thanked #Corbett in a tweet showing the public his first dose of the #Pfizer vaccine.

“#Thank you to ⁦@KizzyPhD⁩ and all the scientists, reviewers, and study participants – especially those from minority and/ or vulnerable communities- who made this moment possible,” #Adams said.