CVS to give out more one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses in predominantly Black Cleveland neighborhoods

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Despite countless pleas for more African-Americans to get the COVID-19 vaccine it appears the push isn’t working as some would hope.

With that in mind, the 19 News Vaccine Team’s Ronnie Duncan wanted to know if the Johnson & Johnson “one-shot” vaccine is more attractive to many who have been on the fence about taking it.

Mona Barnes believes it is.

“One shot is better than two, I guess,” she said. “I mean, I can see a lot of people taking it.”

That’s the answer medical experts nationwide want to hear.

CVS has been giving out as many as 150 shots of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine a day since Monday at the Kinsman location off Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue on the East side of Cleveland.

The response has been fantastic, and Kevin Johnson, who makes his daily breakfast stop at Annie and Franks, says it’s a no-brainer. He is ready.

“I have no reservation about taking this,” he said. “Come on, it’s one shot.”

Johnson is not alone in his change of mind. Patrick Peacock has already been vaccinated, and he urges everyone to do so.

“Man, this is going to save lives,” he said. “We can’t afford not to do it.”

Not everyone feels that way.

Although Black Ohioans make up 13% of the state’s population, just 5.6% have been totally vaccinated.

Laura Barnes is still apprehensive about the vaccine, and she said time is on her side.

“While this is good for everyone else, I am going to wait. It is not me — not now.”

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