LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — There's been vaccine hesitancy in many minority groups since the start of the distribution.
Now, the hesitancy is revealing itself through data here in Arkansas, but that's not the only reason for the disparity.
A couple weeks ago, the Department of Health started sharing numbers that show the percentage of the vaccine that's administered to different races here in Arkansas.
Dr. Jennifer Dillaha, with the Department of Health, believes those gaps are from fears and outreach.
"We've got to make sure that there's a variety of opportunities to meet a variety of needs in Arkansas," she said.
It's a challenge many states are facing, according to Dillaha, making sure no one gets left out in the line to be protected.
"This virus does not respect racial or ethnic groups. Everybody is vulnerable, so we want everyone protected," she said.
According to the Department of Health's website, about 76% of the state's shots have been given to White people, 10% to African Americans, and about 4% to the Hispanic population.
Dr. Dillaha said for those 65 and older, 28% of White Arkansans are fully vaccinated, compared to the 19% of Black people and Hispanic people.
Those gaps in full protection are where she believes needs the most work.
"I think that'll help us overall, as a state, stop the spread of COVID-19," she said.
According to Dillaha, the Department of Health has been working with community minority groups, like the Consulate of Mexico, to help with education, resources, and bringing mobile vaccination clinics to them.
"We know that Mexicans are not getting the vaccine as much as we wish," Marcelino Herrera Sanchez, with the Consulate of Mexico in Little Rock, said.
Sanchez said there are two main reasons people in his community aren't receiving protection: fear and misinformation.
"It's not only happening with the Hispanic or Mexican community, it's happening everywhere. People are afraid of the vaccine because they have bad information," he said.
Sanchez believes now that the governor opened up 1C, more people in his community will receive the vaccine, but he just wants everyone to know the shot is safe.
"The sooner we get the vaccines, the sooner we will be able to come back to the life we had before the pandemic," he said.
The Consulate of Mexico is hosting a vaccine clinic on Saturday, March 20 in De Queen at the Church of Christ and on Saturday, March 27 in Southwest Little Rock at the Mosaic Church.
Sanchez said you can register online for the one in Little Rock or call the Consulate of Mexico for more information.