COMING UP ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

>> MY NAME IS DENISE WELCH MUCH I'M THE ASSOCIATE PROGRAM MANAGER FOR BLACK HEALTH.

WE WANT TO GIVE OUR COMMUNITY A CHANCE TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS WITH THE DOCTORS ABOUT THE VACCINE.

>> THE PANDEMIC HIT AROUND MARCH.

WE FORMED A COALITION AND WE ARE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY IN APRIL.

>> WE HAVE TO KEEP HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS.

THEY HAVE TO CONTINUE TO SEE PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE US.

>> THIS IS MY COMMUNITY.

AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO BRING MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS ALONG.

♪ GOT A GOOD, GOOD, GOOD FEELING.

♪ YEAH I'M UP ON A CLOUD, AIN'T COMING BACK DOWN ♪ ♪ I GOT A GOOD, GOOD, GOOD FEELING... YEAH ♪ ♪ YEAH I'M UP ON A CLOUD, AIN'T COMING BACK DOWN.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> Juhanna: TONIGHT WE MEET DENISE WELCH, ASSOCIATE PROGRAM DIRECTOR FOR THE NATIONAL BLACK LEADERSHIP COALITION ON BLACK HEALTH.

BACK IN MARCH, THEY HOSTED A LIVE BLACK HEALTH TOWN HALL PANEL DISCUSSION WITH LOCAL DOCTORS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS.

VIEWERS WERE ABLE TO WRITE IN QUESTIONS THEY HAD FOR PANELISTSES REGARDING COVID-19 AND THE VACCINE.

TONIGHT WE ARE GOING TO SEE A FEW MINUTES OF THAT DISCUSSION AS CONVERSATIONS LIKE THIS ONE ARE IMPORTANT TO HELP US ALL MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS FOR OURSELVES, OUR FAMILIES AND OUR COMMUNITIES.

BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, LET'S LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT DENISE AND WHY THIS WORK IS SO IMPORTANT TO HER.

>> MY NAME IS DENISE WELCH.

I AM THE ASSOCIATE PROGRAM MANAGER FOR BLACK HEALTH, SHORT FOR THE NATIONAL BLACK LEADERSHIP COALITION ON BLACK HEALTH.

I HAD ALREADY BEEN DOING SOME WORK WITH, AT THE TIME, IT WAS THE NATIONAL BLACK LEADERSHIP COMMISSION ON AIDS.

I REMEMBER MY DIRECTOR ASKING ME TO PARTNER WITH THIS ORGANIZATION BECAUSE IT WAS A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION AND THAT THEY WERE LOCATED OUT OF NEW YORK CITY AND THEY HAD, YOU KNOW, SOME THINGS GOING ON UP THIS WAY.

THEY WERE LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY TO COVER THE UPSTATE REGION.

AND THE UPSTATE REGION WOULD HAVE BEEN SYRACUSE, ROCHESTER AND BUFFALO.

AND AT THAT POINT, I FELT LIKE IT WAS TIME FOR ME TO GROW.

IT WAS TIME FOR ME TO BROAD N BROADEN MY HORIZON AND HELP ESPECIALLY OUR PEOPLE OF COLOR ON A BROADER SPAN AND SO HERE I AM AS THE ASSOCIATE PROGRAM MANAGER.

I'M ABLE TO ORCHESTRATE AND FACILITATE COALITIONS, PUTTING COALITIONS TOGETHER FOR PEOPLE FOR OUR COMMUNITIES THAT ARE UNDERSERVED WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO GO TO PLACES WHERE PEOPLE AREN'T GOING SINGS THE ONSET OF COVID.

NOT ONLY IS THE NEEDS OF OUR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.

IT'S THE NEEDS OF OUR SENIORS, THE NEEDS OF MAKING SURE THAT OUR YOUTH ARE BEING PROPERLY EDUCATED AROUND THE VACCINE, AROUND COVID.

AND BLACK HEALTH HIT THE BROWNED RUNNING.

THE PANDEMIC HIT AROUND MARCH.

WE FORMED A COALITION AND WAS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY IN APRIL.

APRIL OF 2020, PROVIDING PPE, PROVIDING ESSENTIAL NEEDS, PROVIDING SUFT JUST SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO GET SERVICES BECAUSE EVERYTHING WAS CLOSED DOWN.

YOU KNOW, I LIVE IN THE INNER CITY SO THE PEOPLE THAT I SEE WERE OUT ENGAGING IN PROGRAMMING IN THE COMMUNITY ARE ALSO THE PEOPLE I SEE WHEN I GO TO THE GROCERY STORE.

SO THIS IS MY COMMUNITY AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO BRING MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS ALONG.

>> Juhanna: GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME.

MY NAME IS DENISE WELCH.

I AM THE ASSOCIATE PROGRAM MANAGER FOR BLACK HEALTH.

WE WELCOME YOU ALL TONIGHT THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHO WE ARE.

WE ARE THE NATIONAL BLACK LEADERSHIP COMMISSION ON HEALTH.

BLACK HEALTH.

OUR MISSION STATEMENT IS TO CHAMPION BLACK HEALTH THROUGH ADVOCACY, POLICY AND ACTION.

BLACK HEALTH CHAMPIONS THE PROMOTION OF HEALTH AND PREVENTION OF DISEASES AND REDUCES THE DISPARITIES TO ACHIEVE EQUITY WITHIN OUR BLACK COMMUNITY.

WHAT WE WANT TO GIVE OUR COMMUNITY A CHANCE TO GIVE ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE VACCINE AND THE IMPORTANCE TO TAKE THE VACCINE OR NOT TO TAKE THE VACCINE.

AND SO WE HAVE SOME GREAT PANELISTS HERE TONIGHT WE HAVE A MODERATOR AND WE JUST WANT YOU TO FEEL FREE TO GET SOME INFORMATION AND TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION.

AGAIN, WELCOME.

WE ARE GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO OUR MODERATOR COMMON COUNCIL PRESIDENT, HELL ESPECIALLY HUDSON.

>> GOOD EVENING.

AND THANK YOU, DENISE.

MY NAME IS HELEN HUDSON, I WILL BE YOUR MODERATOR TODAY FOR NATIONAL BLACK HEALTH.

WITH ME I HAVE Dr. DARYLL DYKES, Dr. CHILDREN BRANGMAN AND DEPUTY SHERIFF SHARON OWENS.

WHAT WE ARE GOING TO START WITH ARE FACTS.

AND THIS DISCUSSION IS GOING TO BE FOR DR. DYKES, Dr. BRANGMAN AND DEPUTY SHERIFF MAYOR SHARON OWENS.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MYTHS YOU HEAR ABOUT THE VACCINE?

>> SOME OF THE MOST COMMON MYTHS THAT I HEAR IS THAT THE VACCINE CAN'T POSSIBLY BE SAFE BECAUSE IT WAS DEVELOPED SO RAPIDLY.

NORMALLY VACCINES TAKE MANY YEARS AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, WE'VE COME UP WITH A VACCINE, SEVERAL VACCINES IN A MATTER OF MONTHS.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT DESPITE THE VERY RAPID SPEED WITH WHICH THESE VACCINES WERE DEVELOPED, THE TECHNOLOGY TO DEVELOP THE VACCINES HAS BEEN LONG STANDING AND VERY WELL TESTED AND REGULATED TECHNOLOGY.

THERE IS NOTHING ABOUT THESE VACCINES THAT IS UNSAFE, SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THE TIME THAT THEY HAVE BEEN CREATED IN.

>> AND THE NEXT QUESTION I'M GOING TO HAVE FOR ALL THREE OF YOU ACTUALLY IS THAT THE INFORMATION IS NOT GETTING OUT TO CERTAIN COMMUNITIES.

SO HOW DO WE CHANGE THAT AND WHY IS THAT?

>> I THINK THE MAIN THING WE HAVE TO DO IS TALK, TALK, REACH OUT AND KEEP TALKING.

AND THAT IS ONE OF THE PURPOSES OF WORKING WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE KNOW ALREADY HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY, CHURCHES, SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS, FRATERNITIES AND SORORITIES.

THERE IS ANY NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE THAT CAN HELP US REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.

WHAT WE DON'T WANT IS PEOPLE GETTING INFORMATION FROM SOCIAL MEDIA BECAUSE THAT'S OFTEN WHERE ALL THE CONFUSING AND INACCURATE INFORMATION COMES FROM.

>> WE HAVE TO GO TO COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY ARE, USING RESOURCES LIKE Dr. BRANGMAN SAID, THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE AND AVAILABLE.

AND YOU KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S VERY CLEAR, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF ACTIVITIES THAT ARE CENTERED AROUND, YOU KNOW, TELEVISION ADS, OR INTERNET, WEBINARS, EVEN LIKE THIS, AND WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND ALSO THAT NOT ALL PEOPLE WHO NEED TO HEAR THESE MESSAGES EVEN HAVE ACCESS TO SOME OF THESE TECHNOLOGIES, HAVE ACCESS TO RELIABLE INTERNET SERVICE.

AND SO AGAIN AS Dr. BRANGMAN SAID, WE HAVE TO REALLY GET TO COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY LIVE, WHERE THEY EXIST AND HOW THEY CAN REACH THIS INFORMATION.

>> IF I JUST CAN ADD, WE ARE LOOKING AT WAYS TO REACH PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT BE VERY MOBILE.

SO I TAKE CARE OF A LOT OF OLDER ADULTS THAT JUST CAN'T NAVIGATE THE FAIRGROUNDS AND PARKING LOTS AND THAT SORT OF THING.

SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT PEOPLE WHO ARE MOSTLY HOME BOUND AND CAN'T GET OUT.

SO THESE ARE ALL DIFFERENT WAYS, ALL DIFFERENT GROUPS OF PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO MEET THEIR NEEDS.

>> SO I'M GOING TO GO BACK.

I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE VACCINE.

DR. DYKES, YOU SAID THAT BECAUSE I'VE READ THE LYSOL BOTTLES AND IT SAYS CORONAVIRUS ON THERE, SO HOW MANY VARIANTS OF CORONAVIRUS ARE THERE?

>> OH THERE ARE-- WE KNOW OF SEVERAL VARIANTS ACTUALLY WITH THIS COVID.

SO JUST IF YOU TAKE COVID-19 AND JUST THE VARIANTS THAT WE KNOW ABOUT COVID-19, SEVERAL HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED.

BUT THEN IF YOU TAKE CORONAVIRUSES AS AN ENTIRE FAMILY, THERE ARE MANY, MANY DIFFERENT VARIANTS OF THAT.

>> IS THERE ANY REASON WHY THE SECOND VACCINE APPEAR TO HAVE MORE OF AN IMPACT ON INDIVIDUALS FATIGUE, BODY ACHES, CHILLS, ET CETERA THAN THE FIRST DOSAGE?

>> SO YES, THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION AND THAT'S ALSO A VERY GOOD SIGN BECAUSE THAT MEANS THE VACCINE IS DOING EXACTLY WHAT IT IS SUPPOSED TO DO.

SO THE FIRST SHOT THAT YOU GET, IF YOU ARE GETTING THE PFIZER OR MODERNA LETS YOUR BODY START TO RECOGNIZE THIS FOREIGN INVASION FROM THIS PROTEIN, FROM THIS VIRUS.

IF THEY TAKE A LITTLE SPIKE PROTEIN.

YOU'VE SEEN HOW THEY LOOK.

THEY HAVE THESE LITTLE KNOBS ALL OVER THEM AND THEY TAKE ONE OF THOSE LITTLE PROTEINS FROM THE KNOBS AND THEY USE THAT TO MAKE THE VACCINE.

SO THE SECOND TIME THAT YOUR BODY SEES IT, IT REMEMBERS IT AND IT CREATES A REACTION TO START FIGHTING THAT VIRUS.

SO WHILE YOUR BODY IS FIGHTING THAT VIRUS, IT IS MAKING YOU FEEL A LITTLE TIRED, MAYBE A LITTLE FEVER, BUT IT SHOULD NOT MAKE YOU COMPLETELY SICK.

AND IT USUALLY GOES AWAY IN A COUPLE OF HOURS.

THAT'S JUST A HINT OF WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE VACCINE AND YOUR WHOLE BODY WOULD BE TAKEN OVER BY THIS VIRUS.

SO WHEN WE HEAR OF PEOPLE WHO SOMETIMES GET A LITTLE BIT OF A REACTION AFTER THE SECOND DOSE, THAT MEANS YOUR BODY IS DOING EXACTLY WHAT IT IS DOING.

IT'S REVVING UP YOUR SYSTEM TO BE READY TO FIGHT THAT VIRUS IF IT BECOMES INTRODUCED INTO YOUR SYSTEM AGAIN.

ONE THING TO ADD THOUGH, THESE VACCINES ARE NOT 100% PROTECTION SO THERE ARE STILL SOME PEOPLE WHO CAN GET SICK AFTER THEY GET BOTH DOSES OF THE VACCINE.

AND IT TAKES A FEW WEEKS AFTER YOU GET BOTH DOSES OF THE MODERNA OR PFIZER FOR YOUR BODY TO HAVE ADEQUATE PROTECTION.

SO I HAVE SEEN AT LEAST TWO PEOPLE WHO GOT THEIR VACCINE AND THEY RELAXED A LITTLE BIT.

AND THEY RELAXED BEFORE THEIR BODY WAS FULLY PROTECTED AND THEY TURNED OUT POSITIVE FOR COVID.

SO I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK THAT ONCE YOU GET THAT BOTH SHOTS OF THE VACCINE OR EVEN ONE SHOT OF THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON THAT YOU ARE NOW INVINCIBLE AND YOU WILL NOT GET SICK BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT 100% EFFECTIVE.

THEY'RE CLOSE, BUT NOT 100%.

>> BUT Dr. BRANGMAN, AFTER THE SECOND ONE AND I NOTE THE PERIOD OF THREE WEEKS INCUBATION, AFTER THE THREE WEEKS, DO YOU END UP-- ARE YOU PROTECTED?

>> SO IF YOU WERE TO GET EXPOSED TO COVID AT THAT POINT, YOU PROBABLY WON'T GET VERY SICK.

IN FACT, YOU MAY NOT EVEN KNOW YOU HAVE IT.

SO FOR ONE PERSON I KNOW, THEY HAPPENED TO GET A TEST AND FOUND OUT THEY WERE POSITIVE AND FOR ANOTHER PERSON I KNOW, THEY FELT A LITTLE TIRED AND HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A FEVER AND THEY GOT TESTED AND THEY WERE POSITIVE.

SO WURN THING ABOUT YOU-- SO ONE THING AFTER YOU GET THE SHOT, YOUR BODY IS GOING TO PROTECT YOU FROM GETTING SEVERELY ILL. >> Dr. BRANGMAN, IS IT SIMILAR TO THE FLU SHOT INSTANCES WHERE I GOT THE FLU SHOT.

I KNEW I GOT THE FLU BUT DIDN'T FEEL LIKE DIFFICULT WHEN I DIDN'T GET THE FLU SHOT.

>> EVEN THE FLU SHOT DOESN'T GIVE YOU 100% PROTECTION BUT IT INTRODUCES THAT VIRUS TO YOUR BODY ENOUGH SO YOUR BODY CAN BUILD UP PROTECTION SO THAT WHEN YOU DO GET EXPOSED TO IT, YOU DON'T GET AS SICK.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO ADD ONE THING HERE JUST TO MAKE THIS VERY, VERY CLEAR TO THE AUDIENCE.

WHEN YOU GET THE VACCINE AND YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS FROM THE VACCINE, THAT IS NOT THE VIRUS CAUSING THOSE SYMPTOMS.

IT IS NOT THE VACCINE THAT IS CAUSING THE SYMPTOMS.

YOU ARE NOT-- YOU DON'T HAVE COVID THAT WAS INTRODUCED INTO YOU AND YOU ARE HAVING SYMPTOMS BECAUSE YOU HAVE COVID IN YOU.

AS Dr. BRANGMAN SAID, THOSE SYMPTOMS: THE FEVER, THE TIREDNESS, THOSE FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS THAT PEOPLE SOMETIMES GET, THAT IS YOUR BODY, THAT IS YOUR OWN IMMUNE SYSTEM THAT IS REVVING UP AND GEARING UP AND GETTING THE SOLDIERS IN LINE TO ACTUALLY FIGHT THIS VIRUS IF YOU EVER GET EXPOSED TO IT AGAIN.

>> PEOPLE THINK I'M NOT GOING TO GET THAT BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO GIVE ME COVID.

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO GET COVID FROM THIS VACCINE BECAUSE IT'S NOT PUTTING THE VIRUS INTO YOUR BODY.

SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY.

I'VE HAD PATIENTS WHO TELL ME I'M NOT GETTING A FLU SHOT BECAUSE IT GIVES ME THE FLU.

THERE IS NO WAY TO GET SICK FROM THE VACCINES.

YOU MAY NOT FEEL GOOD BECAUSE YOUR BODY IS STARTING TO PROCESS OF PROTECTING YOURSELF BUT THAT IS NOT THE DISEASE ITSELF.

>> Dr. BRANGMAN, LET ME ASK YOU THIS THOUGH, BECAUSE WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT MYTHS, I HAVE PEOPLE SAY I'M NOT GETTING IT BECAUSE THREE PEOPLE DIED FROM GETTING THE VACCINE.

>> WHENEVER YOU GIVE A VACCINE TO MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE, THINGS HAPPEN BECAUSE THINGS HAPPEN EVERY DAY, EVEN WITHOUT THE VACCINE.

SO EVERY DAY PEOPLE ARE HAVING HEART ATTACKS AND STROKES AND ALL SORTS OF THINGS.

THAT'S JUST LIFE AND THAT'S MEDICAL CARE.

JUST BECAUSE THEY GOT A VACCINE WHEN THEY GOT IT, IT TURNS OUT TO BE A COINCIDENCE.

IT IS NOT A CAUSE.

SO AT THIS POINT, I THINK 30 OR MAYBE EVEN 50 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY GOTTEN THE VACCINE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AND WE HAVE NOT SEEN, YOU KNOW, MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ALL DYING FROM A HEART ATTACK OR A STROKE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT SO I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK THAT THE VACCINE WILL MAKE YOU GET SOMETHING ELSE LIKE A HEART ATTACK OR A STROKE IT'S A COINCIDENCE BECAUSE WE ARE OR DEALING WITH PEOPLE WHO GET SICK EVERY DAY DR. DYKES.

>> WOULD THE VACCINE BE EFFECTIVE IF YOU ALREADY HAVE COVID-19 AND NOT KNOW IT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE TO SOME DEGREE.

AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER, EVERY SINGLE TIME YOUR BODY IS EXPOSED TO A FOREIGN INVADER, YOUR BODY GETS A LITTLE BIT SMARTER, A LITTLE BIT STRONGER, A LITTLE BIT BETTER AT FIGHTING THAT INVADER OFF, RECOGNIZING IT AND FIGHTING IT OFF AND WE HAVE THESE THINGS THAT PEOPLE HAVE HEARD ABOUT CALLED ANTICIPATE BODIES, PROTEINS IN-- ANTIBODIES, PROTEINS THAT FLOAT AROUND AND RECOGNIZE FOREIGN INVADERS AND LATCH ON TO THESE INVADERS.

WE HAVE CELLS IN OUR BODIES THAT FLOAT AROUND THAT ARE IN OUR GUT AND IN OUR NOSE THAT RECOGNIZE FOREIGN INVADERS AS WELL.

AND SO WHEN YOU ARE EXPOSED TO COVID, EITHER BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE DISEASE, YOUR BODY WILL START TO PRODUCE THESE DEFENSE MECHANISMS, OR IF YOU GET THE VACCINE YOUR BODY WILL PRODUCE THESE DEFENSE MECHANISMS AND THAT EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU GET AN EXPOSURE TO ONE OF THESE SPIKE PROTEINS YOUR BODY GETS STRONGER AND BETTER AT FIGHTING IT OFF.

>> Juhanna: IT IS IMPORTANT TO ASK QUESTIONS, BE INFORMED AND HEARD IN A CONVERSATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT INVOLVES OUR HEALTH.

UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE VACCINE, WHAT IT IS MADE OF AND POTENTIAL SIDE EFFECTS HELP US ALL MAKE DECISIONS.

BUT WHAT ABOUT OUR YOUTH?

LET'S LISTEN BACK IN AS THE PANEL DISCUSSES HOW TO REACH OUR YOUTH AND WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO BE PROPERLY EDUCATED ABOUT COVID-19 AND THE VACCINE?

>> DEPUTY MAYOR OWENS, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE YOUNG FOLKS OUT THERE BECAUSE YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

I WAS LOOKING AT A FACEBOOK PAGE AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WERE SAYING YOU NEED TO TALK TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE YOUNG PEOPLE CAME BACK AND SAID LOVE HELEN TO DEATH BUT HER AND EVERY ELECTED WHO GET THE VACCINE DON'T MEAN I'M GOING TO GET IT.

SO AGAIN, I THINK THAT, TO YOUR POINT, HOW DO WE REACH THE YOUNGER PEOPLE.

>> IT HAS TO BE THEIR PEERS IT HAS TO BE INDIVIDUALS OF LIKE AGE AND BACKGROUND WHO HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS THAT'S ARE GETTING THE VACCINE AND GETTING THE VACCINE FOR VERY IMPORTANT REASONS.

I THINK TESTING PHASE REALLY BROUGHT HOME TO MANY PEOPLE THAT GETTING TESTED WAS NOT ABOUT YOU.

IT WAS ABOUT YOUR FAMILY, IT WAS ABOUT YOUR FRIENDS, IT WAS ABOUT YOUR GRANDMA, THAT YOU GO TO VISIT AND YOU DID NOT WANT TO, UNAWARE, BRING IN A VIRUS.

AND SO I THINK THAT INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO MAY HAVE GONE THROUGH COVID AND HAVE SEEN IT SIRGS FIRSTHAND AND HAVE GONE AND GOT THE VACCINE BECAUSE OF THAT MAY BE THE FIRST LINE OF VOICES THAT CAN HELP OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE UNDERSTAND.

I MEAN WHEN WE ARE YOUNG, WE'VE ALL BEEN THERE.

WE ARE IMMORTAL AND GOING TO OUTLIVE EVERYTHING AND EVERYBODY SO IT'S JUST THE NATURE OF BEING YOUNG AND HEALTHY AS WE GET OLDER AND START TO FEEL THE ACHES AND CREEKS AND GET THE DIAGNOSIS, WE BECOME MORE AWARE OF OUR MORBIDITY.

WHEN WE EACH OUT TO YOUNG PEOPLE, IT SHOULDN'T BE ABOUT THEM.

IT SHOULD BE ABOUT THEIR FAMILY SO WHEN WE WERE FROM THE HEIGHT OF THE SURGE, WHEN WE WOULD SEE THE VIRUS SPIKE IN 18-25 YEAR OLDS, ALL WOULD I HAVE TO DO IS WAIT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND THEN MY PATIENT, WHO ARE IN THEIR 80s AND THEIR 70s, THEY WOULD START TO GET SICK AND THEY WOULD START TO PASS AWAY.

SO WHATEVER HAPPENS, THIS VIRUS SHOWS US WE ARE ALL CONNECTED AND THE YOUNGER PEOPLE MAY KEEP WALKING.

SOME OF THEM DO GET SICK, BUT THEY TEND TO NOT GET AS SICK AS OLDER PEOPLE.

SO THE THEY DON'T WANT TO TAKE IT, THEY SHOULD THINK OF THEIR PARENTS AND THEIR GRAND PARENTS AND THEIR AUNTIES WHO WILL NOT SURVIVE.

>> THE OTHER THING I WANT TO EMPHASIZE FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE AS WELL, YOU KNOW, WE DO KNOW IT'S A FACT THAT YOUNG PEOPLE ARE LESS LIKELY, NOT IMPOSSIBLE, BUT LESS LIKELY TO HAVE SERIOUS DISEASE OR DIE FROM COVID-19 INFECTION.

WHAT WE DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND, HOWEVER, IS OTHER EFFECTS MIGHT HAPPEN TO YOUNG PEOPLE FROM HAVING THIS INFECTION DOWN THE ROAD.

WE FOE FOR A FACT THAT COVID-19 INFECTION, ALTHOUGH IT IS A RESPIRATORY OR LUNG INFECTION, IT HAS IMPACT ON PEOPLE'S HEARTS, ON THEIR OTHER ORGANS, NERVOUS SYSTEM, ON YOUR MEMORY, ON YOUR SENSE OF SMELL, TASTE, ALL THESE OTHER ISSUES THAT REALLY COULD MANIFEST IN YOU AND CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR YOU DOWN THE ROAD IN WAYS THAT WE STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND, PEOPLE HAVE TO TAKE INTO SERIOUSLY AND JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T DIE OR END UP IN THE HOSPITAL OR ON A VENTILATOR, YOU ARE EXPOSING YOURSELVES, IF YOU DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO TO THIS VIRUS, USE COMMON SENSE PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES, SOCIAL DISTANCING, WASH YOUR HANDS, TAKE THE VACCINE, WE DON'T KNOW IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE ONE OF THESE PEOPLE DOWN THE ROAD WHO ENDS UP A PATIENT, A COVID PATIENT WHEN YOU ARE ASYMPTOMATIC DURING YOUR INFECTION.

>> THANK YOU Dr. DRIEX, THANK YOU Dr. BRANGMAN, DEPUTY MAYOR OWENS, IT WAS A WONDERFUL CONVERSATION AND NOW IT'S TIME TO TURN IT BACK OVER TO OUR FEARLESS LEADER, DENISE WELCH.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, HELEN POWERFUL, POWERFUL CONVERSATION DIALOGUE.

I AM SUPER CHARGED.

I'M SUPER CHARGED WITH THE FACT THAT WE ARE ON THE GROUND HERE IN SYRACUSE AS PART OF BLACK HEALTH AND AS PART OF THE SYRACUSE COVID COALITION.

AND JUST TO GET SOME OF THE INFORMATION AND SOME OF THE FACTS TONIGHT AROUND THE VACCINE WOULD DEFINITELY BENEFIT OUR COMMUNITY AND AGAIN WE ARE DEFINITELY OUT THERE SERVING OUR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY, OUR HOMELESS POPULATION, POPULATIONS THAT DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE ACCESS TO TELEVISION, INTERNET, AND THERE WERE SO MANY GREAT POINTS THAT WERE MADE THIS EVENING AND ESPECIALLY WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT?

AND I REALLY LIKE THE FACT THAT WE ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND WE HAD THE CONVERSATION WITH THE COALITION AS WELL AS WELL AS THROUGH OUR NATIONAL EFORTSDZ THAT WE REALLY NEED TO START ENGAGING OUR YOUNGER POPULATION.

ANOTHER THING ABOUT OUR YOUNGER POPULATION, IS THAT THEY CAN GET THE INFORMATION AND THEY CAN GO HOME AND THEY CAN DISPEL THE MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS TO OUR OLDER POPULATION WHO MAY NOT AGAIN HAVE ACCESS OR JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.

SO I THINK THAT IS DEFINITELY ONE OF OUR BIGGEST FACTORS.

BUT IT'S WORK LIKE THIS THAT BLACK HEALTH WILL CONTINUE TO DO TO CONTINUE TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT.

I'M GRATEFUL TO BE PART OF THE TASK FORCE.

I'M GRATEFUL TO BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION HERE TONIGHT BUT WE DEFINITELY WANT TO CONTINUE TO HAVE MORE AND MORE OF THESE DIALOGUES.

ONE THING WE KNOW ABOUT OUR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IS THE DISRUST FACTOR.

SO WE HAVE TO KEEP HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS.

THEY HAVE TO CONTINUE TO SEE PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE US THAT ARE EITHER HAVING THE VACCINE, HAVE A TESTIMONIAL ABOUT BEING COVID POSITIVE AND COMING BACK TO TALK ABOUT IT AND TESTIFY ABOUT IT SO, AGAIN, WE LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING YOU ALL BACK AND TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION.

I WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH SHARON AS WELL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING THE WORD OUT AND GETTING IT OUT WHERE IT BELONGS.

EXPWHRJ THANK YOU DENISE AND THANK YOU TO THE NATIONAL BLACK LEADERSHIP COMMISSION ON HEALTH FOR THE AMAZING WORK YOU ARE DOING TO PROVIDE EDUCATION AND RESOURCES TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP HAVING THE CONVERSATION FOR THE WELL-BEING OF OUR FAMILIES AND OUR COMMUNITIES, TAKERLY NOW.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VIEW THE SHOW AGAIN, VISIT US ONLINE AT WCNY.ORG/"BEHIND THE WOMAN."

MY NAME IS Dr. JUHANNA ROGERS AND ON BEHALF OF THE "BEHIND THE WOMAN" TEAM, THANK YOU AND HAVE AN AMAZING NIGHT.

♪ ♪ >> NEXT ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN..." >> WELCOME TO THIS SPECIAL SEASON 2 FINALE EPISODE IN CELEBRATION.

>> WE ARE WORTHY OF LOVE AND SUCCESS AND PRAISE!

WEARING AFROS, LOCKS, TWISTS AND BRAIDS!

>> KNOW YOU BELONG IN EVERY ROOM.

KNOW YOU BELONG IN EVERY ROOM.

>> FIGURE OUT WHO THE ALLIES ARE IN YOUR ORGANIZATION.

>> STORIES MAKE THE INVISIBLE VISIBLE.

>> EVEN SOMETIMES WHEN THEY MAY NOT WANT ME TO BE THERE?

I'M GOING TO BE THERE AND LOOK CUTE BEING THERE.