Community
Study Finds Hesitancy Among Parents, Caregivers To Vaccinate Children Against COVID-19
The study of 971 ParentsTogether members also found discrepancies in vaccine hesitancy by race and income level.

Less than two-thirds of parents and caregivers would vaccinate their children against COVID-19 once the vaccine is approved for pediatric use, according to a study released last week.
The study, conducted by the family advocacy group ParentsTogether, found that 70% of parents said they would “probably or definitely” get the COVID-19 vaccine or have already been vaccinated.
However, just 58% of those same parents and caregivers said they would vaccinate their children once state and federal public health experts determine the vaccine is safe for children under age 16.
The study of 971 ParentsTogether members also found discrepancies in vaccine hesitancy by race and income level.
According to ParentsTogether, just over 20% of Native American and Indigenous parents, 15% of white parents, 13% of Hispanic parents and less than 10% of Asian American and Pacific Islander parents said they would not vaccinate their children.
Among Black parents, 26% of respondents said they would not vaccinate their children, the most of any racial demographic.
In addition, families and caregivers of color were 70% more likely than their white counterparts to say they’re “not sure” about their children getting vaccinated.
The study also found that 23% of families with an annual household income of less than $35,000 were hesitant about vaccinating their children while 8% of families with incomes over $75,000 said the same.
ParentsTogether Co-Founder and Co-Director Bethany Robertson argued the results of the survey showed the need for informative community outreach about the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine before the vaccines are approved for pediatric use, likely later this year.
“We have to make sure that the pandemic’s unequal impact on communities of color and low-income families doesn’t get repeated when it comes to vaccinating children against COVID-19,” Robertson said.
ParentsTogether’s study, released Wednesday, came the same week that the pharmaceutical company Pfizer announced that its two-dose vaccine was found to be safe and 100% effective among children ages 12 to 15.
The biotechnology company Moderna, which also developed a two-dose vaccine, is currently studying its efficacy among children younger than 16.
Pfizer officials hope to request emergency use authorization for the 12-15 age group in the coming weeks, with the goal of vaccinating the children in that group by the time school starts in the fall.
ParentsTogether’s study found that vaccine hesitancy was relatively soft among respondents, and due more to uncertainty and a lack of information than hardline opposition.
Responding to parents and caregivers raised concerns about short- and long-term side effects as well as the speed of the COVID-19 vaccine’s development.
Moderna and Pfizer, who developed the first two vaccines available on the market, got them to the public in under a year due in part to advances in the use of genetic material called messenger RNA, or mRNA.
Vaccine hesitancy was also significantly weaker among respondents who knew someone who had already been vaccinated. Roughly 44% of responding parents and caregivers said they would vaccinate their children and knew someone who had already been vaccinated.
Comparatively, just 22% of parents who did not know anyone else who has been vaccinated said they would definitely vaccinate their children.
“We need to start the conversation with parents now, to build trust and understanding about how getting kids vaccinated against COVID-19 protects their health, their family’s health, and the health of our communities,” Robertson said.
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Oakland Post: Week of May 21 – 27, 2025
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May 21 – 27, 2025

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Remembering George Floyd
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OP-ED: Oregon Bill Threatens the Future of Black Owned Newspapers and Community Journalism
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Nearly half of Oregon’s media outlets are now owned by national conglomerates with no lasting investment in local communities. According to an OPB analysis, Oregon has lost more than 90 news jobs (and counting) in the past five years. These were reporters, editors and photographers covering school boards, investigating corruption and telling community stories, until their jobs were cut by out-of-state corporations.

By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.
President and CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association
For decades, The Skanner newspaper in Portland, the Portland Observer, and the Portland Medium have served Portland, Oregon’s Black community and others with a vital purpose: to inform, uplift and empower. But legislation now moving through the Oregon Legislature threatens these community news institutions—and others like them.
As President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), which represents more than 255 Black-owned media outlets across the United States—including historic publications like The Skanner, Portland Observer, and the Portland Medium—l believe that some Oregon lawmakers would do more harm than good for local journalism and community-owned publications they are hoping to protect.
Oregon Senate Bill 686 would require large digital platforms such as Google and Meta to pay for linking to news content. The goal is to bring desperately needed support to local newsrooms. However, the approach, while well-intentioned, puts smaller, community-based publications at a future severe financial risk.
We need to ask – will these payments paid by tech companies benefit the journalists and outlets that need them most? Nearly half of Oregon’s media outlets are now owned by national conglomerates with no lasting investment in local communities. According to an OPB analysis, Oregon has lost more than 90 news jobs (and counting) in the past five years. These were reporters, editors, and photographers covering school boards, investigating corruption, and telling community stories, until their jobs were cut by out-of-state corporations.
Legislation that sends money to these national conglomerate owners—without the right safeguards to protect independent and community-based outlets—rewards the forces that caused this inequitable crisis in the first place. A just and inclusive policy must guarantee that support flows to the front lines of local journalism and not to the boardrooms of large national media corporations.
The Black Press exists to fill in the gaps left by larger newsrooms. Our reporters are trusted messengers. Our outlets serve as forums for civic engagement, accountability and cultural pride. We also increasingly rely on our digital platforms to reach our audiences, especially younger generations—where they are.
We are fervently asking Oregon lawmakers to take a step back and engage in meaningful dialogue with those most affected: community publishers, small and independent outlets and the readers we serve. The Skanner, The Portland Observer, and The Portland Medium do not have national corporate parents or large investors. And they, like many smaller, community-trusted outlets, rely on traffic from search engines and social media to boost advertising revenue, drive subscriptions, and raise awareness.
Let’s work together to build a better future for Black-owned newspapers and community journalism that is fair, local,l and representative of all Oregonians.
Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., President & CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association
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