Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price received a COVID-19 vaccination Monday. He said it was to set an example for others and he invited TV cameras to be there to see it.
Over the years the longtime District 3 representative has demonstrated that he will speak up about problems he sees. This time Price wanted his actions to speak in support of vaccination and to combat misinformation he sees, especially among African-Americans.
Price said the so-called “Tuskegee Study” launched in the 1930s makes some people of color reluctant about government-provided healthcare.
“They knew that African-American men had syphilis and they studied them. However, they withheld from them the inoculation to be able to deal with the disease,” he said.
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The study went on for 40 years before it was made public in the 1970’s.
Price said this situation is entirely different. Everyone is receiving the same treatment, regardless of race. And vaccinations are necessary to protect everyone.
“This is about a community. You can't deal with herd immunity if in fact you are going to be part of the hold out,” Price said. “You owe it to the family to get yourself inoculated so we as a community, not just your personal community, but we as a community are better.”
At 70 years of age, Price could have received the vaccine sooner. He said the timing coincides with the rollout of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which will increase the availability of shots.
Price also said he felt fine after his required 15-minute observation period following vaccination.
“The shot was so fast I didn't realize she had done it. I was bracing. She said relax then she said it's over,” Price said.
That’s another part of the message with most of the population still to be vaccinated.
Price received a first dose of the Pfizer vaccine at the Ellis Davis Field house site, which is run by Parkland Memorial Hospital.
