“The Building Is Closed but the Ministry’s Open”: The Role of the Black Church Leaders in Vaccine Communication Through Black Podcast

Black churches are a trusted institution for African Americans, that has been utilized to provide health services to the community. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Black churches were not only used as COVID-19 testing centers for some communities, but church leadership also helped educate their congregation about the pandemic and provide them resources. This study evaluated the messaging of Black church leadership on podcast episodes about the COVID-19 vaccine during the preliminary stages of the pandemic. African Americans were amongst the groups of vaccine-hesitant individuals due to the history of medical racism, healthcare inaccessibility, and distrust of the government. On the podcasts, the church leaders implemented practices such as sharing their experience with the vaccine, emphasizing the value of science, and combatting misinformation to help educate their community. The church leaders also acknowledged their role as an authority in the community and used that relationship to help their community be proactive during the pandemic. The leaders also utilized several communication platforms to reach congregants, like phone calls, live streams, and social media. Implications discussed.