Some customers at the barbershop Mike Brown manages in Hyattsville, Md., say they don’t plan to get a coronavirus vaccine. They say that the vaccine doesn’t work, or that they have heard Covid-19 is a hoax.
Mr. Brown’s Shop Spa just outside Washington, D.C., is part of a national initiative that’s enlisting Black barbers and stylists to combat vaccine hesitancy. He listens—then talks about how the vaccines have been proven to work.
“I use my platform to advocate for truth and dispel myths,” said Mr. Brown, who has also held a vaccination clinic in his shop. “I’ve gotten about 60% of my clients to get vaccinated,” he said.
The Biden administration is building on the barbershop vaccination effort as it steps up such community efforts, trying to reach people reluctant to get the vaccine. The White House has acknowledged that it’s falling short of its goal of getting at least one shot into the arms of 70% of Americans by July 4. Only about 60% of Americans are partially or fully vaccinated. One reason behind the shortfall is vaccine hesitancy and barriers to accessing the vaccine that can disproportionately affect the Black community.
The barbershop program, dubbed “Shots at the Shop,” is described by administration officials as critical for reaching vaccine holdouts and easing barriers to access.