Chesapeake Regional Collaborates with Chesapeake Coalition of Black Pastors and Others to Vaccinate Community

CHESAPEAKE, Va.—Chesapeake Regional Healthcare is partnering with pastors from 20 African American churches and four social organizations, to include medical students at EVMS, to provide 2,000 scheduled COVID-19 vaccines on Tuesday, February 16 and Wednesday, February 17. Members of the community who are 65 and older in the phase 1b vaccination group will have priority. The two-day event will be held at Bethany Baptist Church, 2587 Campostella Road, in Chesapeake.

Dr. Nancy Welch, Director of the Chesapeake Health Department says, “Once again, Chesapeake has found innovative ways to collaborate with community organizations to address public health concerns and take care of its citizens.” 

About the grassroots effort, Dr. Janice Underwood, Chief Diversity Officer to Governor Ralph Northam, comments, “Structural inequity has been magnified due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, innovative state-local and public-private partnerships, like this community vaccination event, help to provide us with a road map of best practices to replicate across the state, while encouraging continuous engagement with diverse communities across the Commonwealth.”

“It is imperative that we make efforts within high-risk communities like South Norfolk as the rate of hospitalizations and deaths among its black residents and persons of color are disproportionately higher than other races,” says Reese Jackson, President & CEO of Chesapeake Regional Healthcare.

Dr. Underwood praised those involved, "I want to commend all of the partners who worked so hard to put this event together and particularly Chesapeake Regional Medical Center, local faith and community leaders, and the Chesapeake Health Department, who have been collectively advocating for equitable testing and vaccine distribution for Hampton Roads since the beginning of this pandemic. I applaud everyone's continued dedication to ensuring vulnerable communities are not left behind as we strive toward our ONE Virginia mission." 

Chesapeake Regional Healthcare is committed to caring for its community. Since the COVID-19 vaccines became available in December, the organization has provided thousands of vaccines for health care workers and community members. Additionally, it continues to provide COVID vaccines at Chesapeake Rx in South Norfolk weekly and provides space on its Chesapeake campus where the Chesapeake Health Department and other physician groups in Chesapeake continue to hold vaccination clinics. 

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Chesapeake Regional Healthcare
Chesapeake Regional Healthcare’s flagship hospital, Chesapeake Regional Medical Center, is the only independent, community-based hospital in the Hampton Roads region. For more than 45 years, it has provided innovative, technologically advanced health care for the residents of southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. With more nearly 40 practice locations, the organization’s compassionate physicians and staff provide the community with quality health care services, including a nationally accredited Chest Pain Center, a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence, a state-of-the-art Neurosciences program and one of the busiest emergency departments and maternity wards in the area. With more than 600 physicians on staff, Chesapeake Regional was built in 1976 to care for its community. Visit ChesapeakeRegional.com to learn more.