Mayor Duggan and other Detroit Leaders take COVID-19 vaccine

On Tuesday, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan was leading by example. 

"Here is the first thing someone says to me, are you going to take it first?" Mayor Duggan said. "You get to a point where words don't matter, actions do."

Mayor Duggan was one of the key city leaders who lined up to receive their COVID-19 vaccine shot ahead of the city's deployment initiative. 

"We are finally fighting back," Duggan said.

City and community leaders explained why they felt it was crucial to get vaccinated first. 

"I just didn't want anyone to have any doubts about the vaccine, or my commitment," said Chief Public Health Officer, Denise Fair.

The city of Detroit received its first doses of the Moderna Vaccine on Monday. On Wednesday, the first city employees can get their COVID vaccine shots. 

"We will have 30 employees at health departments," Mayor Duggan said. "The folks will then go out and offer vaccines to others."

But the start of vaccinations on Wednesday won't end there. 

"The 1200 medical first responders and the EMT workers from Detroit Fire," Mayor Duggan said. "Next week, our health department will offer vaccines to the city's 450 home health care."

But as the rollout plan was discussed, Mayor Duggan made this clear: "While I believe this is the right thing to do, we are not going to mandate that you do it - it's your choice," Mayor Duggan said. 

Community leaders also addressed concerns in communities of color over vaccines, after the US Government conducted an unethical experiment starting in the 1930's on African Americans without their consent. But, the medical community does not want this to lead people not to trust this vaccine. 

"I feel very confident in the safety and ethics of this vaccine," said Henry Ford Health System President and CEO, Wright Lassiter. 

Mayor Duggan hopes confidence in the vaccine grows as they work to get the general public vaccinated next year 

"I do expect us, in the coming months, to be running a huge vaccination operation out of the TCF parking structure," Mayor Duggan said