Ivette and David Girón arrived yesterday morning at a high school in South Los Angeles to get the COVID vaccine – 19.
Ivette, who works as a teacher’s assistant, said the principal of her school 7-year-old son warned them that at George Washington Preparatory School, south of Los Angeles, they would be immunizing the students’ relatives.
After that, together with her husband David, who works as staff of security, they did not hesitate and asked permission in their jobs to obtain the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine.
“We are vaccinating for the good of our children and our families,” said Ivette. “It didn’t hurt when they put it on us… We are very excited because now we are beginning to see a better future.”
David said that in November they were infected with COVID – 19 but luckily for the family, her symptoms were mild and she was able to recover at home. His two children Anthony, 7, and Madeline, 5, did not get sick from the virus.
Adrián Ramos, from 17 years old and student of George Washington High School, to be immunized. He said that his parents are already vaccinated and that he had told his family that as soon as the opportunity presented itself, he would too.
“I have many friends who feel nervous about getting vaccinated and I want to show them that it is good to receive it, “said the young man.” Until now, nothing hurts and I feel good. “
The young man was encouraged to motivate other adolescents older than 16 years to be vaccinated ensuring that it is for the good of the whole community.
“The doctors who did this research are experts and have already done tests in the past. Everything is fine with the vaccine ”, he added.
As of 15 April, in California and to all people over 16 years will be eligible to be vaccinated.
Immunization in areas such as southern and southeastern Los Angeles is paramount since the numbers show that in these areas, which have communities mainly of color, only the 19% of the adult population has been inoculated, said Austin Beutner, superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD).
“But if we go to downtown Bel Air, around 50% of adults are vaccinated, “said the superintendent at a press conference.
Beutner said that these communities with low numbers of vaccines have also been severely impacted by the spread of COVID – 19.
“We have seen kills five and times higher than in other communities in Los Angeles, ”said Beutner.
Schools become vaccination sites
To close this gap of lack of immunization in areas with fewer resources, LAUSD will open vaccination centers in district schools. These places plan to immunize relatives of the students and residents of the areas. This is the result of an effort to reopen schools as safely as possible.
The first two of these centers to open Wednesday were at George Washington High Schools in South Los Angeles and Abraham Lincoln in East Los Angeles.
The sites were opened in collaboration with St. John’s Well Child and Family Center, which is providing the vaccine doses and clinical staff to administer the injections while LAUSD continues to outreach to the school community and provides operational support in schools.
Jim Mangia, principal of St. John’s, said they have 20 clinics in the most needy areas of Los Angeles and three mobile clinics.
However, it indicates that they experienced first-hand the lack of vaccines.
“In January we opened to start vaccinating but we had no vaccines,” he said, asserting that they fought so that you are guarantee their clinics.
Once they did, they have not stopped and so far they are administered , 000 doses per week.
“It is not right that Latino and African-American communities are being hospitalized and dying in disproportionate numbers and do not have access to vaccines, ”said Mangia.
Initially only two vaccine sites had been programmed but thanks to a partnership with the Federation of Los Angeles County Workers and Northeast Community Clinics, the number was increased to 25 sites.
Ron Herrera, president of the federation, said: “We are finally getting to see a light at the end of the tunnel with more people vaccinated.”
“This program should not be called a pilot program, it should be called a necessity,” he said.
Federal, state and county health authorities have agreed to guarantee that these school sites receive enough doses of the vaccine.
For his part, Beutner said that access to vaccines is the way to recovery in schools. The families of the students will no longer fear to send their children to the classrooms.
Those relatives who have problems with transportation, language, lack of access to technology or are unaware of vaccination sites You can now go to one of these schools to receive it.
On Friday, April 9, the next vaccination center will open at Henry T. Gage Middle School, with the help of the Northeast Community Clinics, to serve Huntington Park families.
Soon after, another center will open at South East Senior High School in South Gate in partnership with the Weingart Foundation and the John Wesley Community Health Institute Inc.
Eventually more participating schools will open including Manual Arts, Jefferson and Hollywood High Schools until reaching the total.
@ LASchools Vaccination sites listed here. To find one or make an appointment call (213) 328 – 3958.
List of schools that will have vaccination centers against the # COVID 19 pic.twitter.com/bndlb1OOJN– Jacqueline García (@jackiereporter) April 7, 2021
To find out which is your closest family vaccination site or to schedule an appointment call to (213) 328 – 3958.