Over 150 Chaldean Doctors In Michigan, Pleads With Community To Get Vaccinated Against COVID-19

By April Morton, CBS Detroit

Sept. 22, 2021

(CBS DETROIT)- We’ve seen COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in communities of color, and doctors say the same thing is happening in the Chaldean community. Now hundreds of them coming together to try and change that.

In an open letter, over 150 Michigan Chaldean doctors pleading with the Chaldean community to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

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“We see new cases every single day in our community a lot of us and I’ve talked about this before, we end up taking our white coats off at the end of the day and putting on black clothing and going to funerals,” said Henry Ford Health senior staff family medicine specialist Dr. Rena Daiza.

Dr. Daiza who co-wrote the letter says COVID has hit the Chaldean community hard and continues to do so because of the vaccine hesitancy.

“Unfortunately, its driven my misinformation, people are finding things on the internet without good sources, of course social media is a big culprit,” Dr. Daiza said.

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There’s also religious beliefs, as Catholics some Chaldeans have concerns about stem cells used in research. Although; in reports the Vatican has said it is “morally acceptable” for Catholics to get vaccinated against COVID, including ones based on research that use cells from aborted fetuses.

Doctors say for anyone in doubt about the vaccines…

“Talk to your doctor someone you trust in the medical field, a scientist, someone who’s dealt with vaccines in the past,” Daiza said.

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