Serving as senior policy advisor for equity on the White House COVID-19 response team, Dr. Cameron Webb has passionately dedicated himself to educating the Black community on matters involving the virus. As a general internist, Dr. Webb has worked clinically in the University of Virginia’s COVID unit since the early stages of the pandemic. Additionally, he is the founding director of UVA’s Health Equity, Law and Policy Research (HELPR) program.
A native Virginian, Dr. Webb received his B.A. from the University of Virginia, his M.D. from Wake Forest School of Medicine, and his J.D. from Loyola University School of Law.
We spoke with Dr. Webb about his work to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the Black community.
What can we say, right now, to our community in regard to being safe from COVID-19?
Well, we know that we’re in the midst of a surge of cases. We know this delta variant is spreading farther and faster and is wreaking havoc in communities all over the country. Furthermore, we know we’ve got the tools to stop that and the disproportionate impact of not just this variant, but this pandemic on communities of color. It’s been notable. It’s been significant and we’ve got some tools to stop that.
What is the most powerful tool people can use to avoid contracting COVID-19?
So, I think that the vaccines are really a powerful approach. It helps keep us safe, for sure. The data is really strong on the effectiveness of the vaccines and preventing hospitalizations and deaths.
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