Jackson County will use federal funds to help vaccinate inner-city residents
The project will focus on six specific ZIP codes
The project will focus on six specific ZIP codes
The project will focus on six specific ZIP codes
Jackson County says it's going to spend $5 million in federal funds to vaccinate people in the inner city in six specific ZIP codes.
In some parts of the inner city, fewer than one in five have started getting vaccinated. The project's goal is to vaccinate another 5,000.
"We really hope to vaccinate many, many more than that. But along with vaccinations, we hope to do COVID-19 testing," said Dr. Jannette Berkely-Patton, of the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Especially in six specific urban core ZIP codes, where the rates are very low. The idea was from Jackson County Executive Frank White.
"What I experienced growing up in the urban core, just a lack of preventative screening and so forth," White said.
It's not all vaccination money. Some it will provide more access to health care and better information. It will also research the causes of urban core health problems.
"We can move forward in addressing the problems without a lot of research, because we can see it," the Rev. John Modest Miles, of Morning Star Baptist Church.
Jackson County, Truman Medical Centers/University Health and UMKC will run this five-month-long project, being paid for by $5 million in federal dollars from last year's COVID-19 relief deal.
UMKC's research office will follow the money.
"And they track every single penny and they're accountable for every single penny," Berkely-Patton said.
There was little debate from county lawmakers. No negative votes.
The project starts in June. It runs until the end of November.