Association of Black Cardiologists Supports COVID-19 Vaccination Mandates for Health Care Workforce

WASHINGTON, July 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- For nearly 50 years, the Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) has been dedicated to its mission of eliminating cardiovascular disease health disparities in historically marginalized communities and pursuing health equity for all.

Over the past 18 months, COVID-19 has followed the unyielding, traditional slope of disproportionately imposing adverse health outcomes upon the most vulnerable U.S. populations. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), as of 7/25/2021, Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American citizens account for more than 44% of the roughly 28 million cases of infection in the United States. This group accounts for only 37% of the entire population.

To protect all citizens from the extreme effects of COVID-19, the ABC strongly encourages vaccination of all health care personnel and, as well, all persons, especially members of the aforementioned groups. Currently, we also support masking indoors with additional use consideration for outdoors given the spread of the more infectious variants. This position is of utmost importance as our professional membership continues to diligently work to address and curb the impact of COVID-19 and its emerging variants on these high-risk populations. Prevention is better than cure particularly given that even mild infection has the potential to result in longer-term cardiovascular and other ailments.

The ABC echoes the sentiments of the American Medical Association and our notable colleagues in the following statement:

We stand with the growing number of experts and institutions that support the requirement for universal vaccination of health workers. While we recognize some workers cannot be vaccinated because of identified medical reasons and should be exempted from a mandate, they constitute a small minority of all workers.

The ABC will remain vigilant and steadfast in its efforts to support healthcare professionals, community partners, patients and families as we, as a country, weather through this relentless syndemic together. In the same vein, we hope other industries will follow the example of the medical community and choose to employ policies that promote vaccination.

ABC Resources

• Community Education about COVID-19 slide deck

ABC COVID-19 webinars

• At The Heart of The Matter: Unmasking the Invisibility of COVID-19 in Diverse Populations
• Pulling At The Heart: Faces of COVID-19 Survival and Ongoing Disparities in Diverse Populations
• Corona-Talks: On the Front Lines of Your Health
• Optimizing the Practice of Cardiovascular Medicine in the COVID-19 Era: Telehealth and More
• Avoiding Heartbreak: COVID-19 Complications and Risk Mitigation in Diverse Populations
• I Can't Breathe: Reflections on Racism, Anti-Blackness and A Path Forward Globally and In Cardiovascular Medicine
• Generating Heartfelt Horizons: COVID-19 Prevention, Myths and Realities
• Telemedicine in the COVID-19 Era: Current Concepts and Research for Wearables for AF Monitoring
• Following the Murmurs of COVID-19 in Diverse Populations

About the Association of Black Cardiologists
Founded in 1974, the ABC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating the disparities related to cardiovascular disease and achieving health equity such that all people can live long healthy lives. Membership is open to all interested in the care of people with or at risk for cardiovascular disease, including health professionals, lay members of the community (Com­munity Health Advocates), corporate and institutional members. Today, the ABC's public and private partnerships continue to increase its impact in communities across the nation.  For more information, visit www.abcardio.org and connect with ABC on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. 

SOURCE Association of Black Cardiologists