Encouraging Vaccines Through Establishments People Trust

Miami FL

02 November, 2021

11:59 AM

Description

By Johania Charles, the Miami Times Oct 26, 2021 For Rodrick Leighton, co-owner of the Dukunoo Jamaican Kitchen in Wynwood, the decision to join Health Foundation of South Florida's (HFSF) new COVID-19 vaccine campaign was an easy one. The Black-owned restaurant was the first business to pledge participation in the "We Did It" campaign, an initiative that expands HFSF's previous efforts to combat vaccine hesitancy in vulnerable communities in a fight to stop the spread of COVID-19. Preceding "We Did It," the "I Did It" campaign was a massive tricounty effort to address vaccine misinformation by spotlighting trusted individuals who received the COVID-19 vaccine, educating people on the side effects and benefits of the vaccine, and increasing vaccination opportunities in Black and Hispanic communities through door-to-door canvassing supported by $1.5 million in grants and pop-up vaccination sites. The campaign, which launched in April, heavily depended on community leaders and grassroots organizations to spread messages of the effectiveness of the vaccine. Thousands downloaded the campaign tool kit. "We Did It," on the other hand, focuses on a collaborative effort to keep the community safe as a whole, rather than single out individuals. It relies on the business sector to encourage employees to embrace safety measures like getting the vaccine, for a quicker return to normal and to jumpstart an economy still reeling from the pandemic's impact. "As a business, we are a part of whatever goes on in this world. If this [virus] wreaks havoc in our society, then we won't have any customers," said Leighton. "We've been striving to adhere to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and trying our best to stop the spread of this thing. With this campaign and what the foundation is doing to also stop the spread, we figured why not just join our efforts together." Rodrick Leighton and Shrusan Gray, husband and wife and business owners, stand in front of their Dukunoo Jamaican Kitchen restaurant in Wynwood. (Courtesy of Dukunoo Jamaican Kitchen) Leighton opened the restaurant with his physician wife Shrusan Gray, M.D., and mother-in-law, Leonie McKoy, in September 2019. The eatery fuses authentic Jamaican cuisine with entertainment and a vibrant atmosphere reminiscent of the Caribbean. Six months in, the business was forced to transition to unanticipated practices of takeout, delivery and restricted outdoor dining to sustain itself, as it witnessed neighboring businesses forced to shut down permanently because of the pandemic. "We persevered and luckily we stayed afloat, but we had to close our doors for three months at one point and had to add an outdoor space which was not in our original model," Leighton said. "We like to say that people come for the food but stay for the vibe. Human beings like sharing spaces and keeping each other company, and the only way we can get back to that is to find a new normal. Normalcy right now is being vaccinated and taking the necessary precautions to be safe." The new campaign, announced at a Thursday news conference inside the tropical-themed restaurant, will provide a tool kit to thousands of small businesses in Miami-Dade County that choose to follow in Dukunoo's footsteps. "We're delighted to be expanding our partnership to include our business community," said Loreen Chant, HFSF president and CEO, at the news conference. "[And leaders] who are not hesitating to stand up and make Miami-Dade County a safer and healthier place to live in and to work in ... We can do so much more when we do it together." Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and more than 20 chambers of commerce across South Florida partnered with the foundation for the campaign. She said leveraging the county's business community is the perfect way to reach individuals who still express reluctance when it comes to vaccination. Michael Finney, president and CEO of the Miami-Dade Beacon Council, speaks in support of Health Foundation of South Florida's "We Did It" vaccine campaign at a press conference Thursday. (Courtesy of the Health Foundation/Isabella Bru) "The only way to keep the infection down is to have massive vaccination," said Levine Cava, revealing that the county is now seeing a positivity rate below 4%. "In the last few months, especially when we saw the spike, we have redoubled our efforts and they are working ... This would not be possible without the partnerships, without the massive public education and awareness campaigns." "We're moving forward in the Health Foundation's mission to be a catalyst for change that improves the health of our region and with a focus on our most vulnerable community members," said Chant. Once a business makes the pledge, owners gain access to a communications tool kit with guidance on how to start conversations about vaccination with employees and "We Did It" window stickers, posters and website badges to show customers and staff their commitment. The tool kit also highlights ways small businesses can incentivize vaccination among workers. Some of the examples mentioned include a one-time bonus, gift cards, company swag, free transportation to vaccination sites and paid time off for vaccine appointments and recovery. "We Did It" comes on the heels of the Biden administration's controversial proposal of a federal vaccine mandate for businesses with more than 100 workers. Local leaders say the mandate would only affect 3% of Miami's business population. According to Levine Cava, the county has approximately 86,000 small businesses with more than 70,000 of them supported by a staff of less than 10 people. Dukunoo Jamaican Kitchen is the first business to join a vaccination campaign created by Health Foundation of South Florida to encourage employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19. (Courtesy of Dukunoo Jamaican Kitchen) "We have not yet set an absolute goal for the amount of businesses we want to join the campaign but we want as many as possible," said Chant, emphasizing that the choice should be voluntary. "Our employees wear masks and most of them are vaccinated without us mandating anything," said Leighton, who hopes the campaign can be added encouragement for the unvaccinated few. Information about the campaign is available at WeDidItSFL.com. The Miami Times is the largest Black-owned newspaper in the south serving Miami's Black community since 1923. The award-winning weekly is frequently recognized as the best Black newspaper in the country by the National Newspaper Publishers Association.