Black Columbia leaders incensed by Walgreens closing in area with few other options [View all]
In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic that has disproportionately affected African Americans, it is “unconscionable” for Walgreens, a national corporate giant, to close one of the only pharmacy options available to several majority black Columbia neighborhoods, local leaders say.
“One of the key factors when they talk about health disparities is having access to health care,” said J.T. McLawhorn, president and CEO of the Columbia Urban League, speaking at a news conference Friday at the NAACP headquarters on North Main Street. “This community is considered a community with vulnerable adults, older people, people who have challenges like high blood pressure, diabetes and so forth. And we think it’s just really unconscionable for a store to move out of this neighborhood.”
The Walgreens drug store at 5900 North Main St. is slated to close next Thursday, June 11, a move that has surprised and disappointed many nearby residents and loyal customers. The company could not be immediately reached for comment Friday afternoon.
Thomas Mackey, who lives just about a mile from the store and shopped there Friday, said people in the area are “dependent on this store.”
Read more: https://www.thestate.com/news/local/article243298976.html
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