Dr. Ilan Shapiro said that recently his medical team began making phone calls to inform patients that they already qualified for the COVID vaccine – 19.
When trying to contact one of her Latino patients, it was her daughter who answered and said she was not available. When asked when he returned, they received the answer that no health provider would like to hear: “He will not return … He died of COVID a week and a half ago,” said the woman.
Shapiro, who is the AltaMed’s medical director of education for health and well-being, said that they want to prevent these words from being mentioned again, especially now that the vaccine against this disease is already available.
“That is why it is so It is important to do what we are doing in the community, such as community clinics and the empowerment of reliable sources of information such as doctors, nurses and promoters ”, he indicated this Thursday during a webinar focused on the importance of vaccination.
During the virtual event “Latinos and the national launch of the COVID vaccine – National Launch The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) revealed that in December, before the vaccine was available, about a third of the public or generally said they would get the vaccine as soon as it was available. Other 39% said he would wait to see how other people react.
A revealing the Results by racial and ethnic groups, Black and Latino adults were much more likely to wait for the vaccine while white adults were more evenly divided.
However, in the latest survey of In April, the KFF indicated that 64% of Hispanic adults said they had received at least one dose or would do so as soon as possible, approximately the same proportion as white adults.
What worries them?
Liz Hamel, Vice President and Director of Public Opinion and Poll Research KFF said that in the Latino community the two main concerns, including those of Hispanic adults, are serious side effects and the question of whether vaccines are really as safe as indicated by experts.
“In terms of specific effects, ocides, we see that six out of ten Hispanic adults under the age of 50 are concerned about the possible future impacts on their fertility, ”he said. Hamel. “And this is higher than the 42% of white adults in this age range.”
Another concern for Latinos when trying to inoculate is access to the vaccine.
“Almost two-thirds of Hispanic adults say they are concerned that they may have to miss work due to side effects of the vaccine, ”Hamel said. “And three out of ten are worried about missing work to get the vaccine. And these proportions are substantially higher than among white adults who have not been vaccinated. ”
Campaign to advocate for vaccines
To clarify these doubt and advocate for inoculation, the KFF, Unidos US and other partners have created the campaign “ The Conversation ” so that doctors and trusted personnel can clarify the doubts of people who fear to be vaccinated.
Campaign representatives indicated that unvaccinated Latinos want to be vaccinated, but face obstacles such as not having access to paid leave if they miss work, that vaccine providers ask them for confidential information that increases barriers to getting vaccinated or places of difficult access to vaccination sites.
They indicated that it is very necessary to reaffirm that vaccines against covid- 19 are free and available to everyone, regardless of d e their immigration status or access to health insurance.
“We urge that sites be placed where Latinos are: schools, workplaces, and community centers across the country,” said Janet Murguía, president and CEO of UnidosUS.
Additionally, Dr. Shapiro said that it is vital that people stay away from misinformation. He indicated that social networks, especially messages sent in masses, are not always the most reliable.
“When they are receiving that information, they should ask themselves, where does it come from? Are they trying to sell something? Is it science-based? ”, Shapiro said.
The Secretary of Health and Human Services of the United States, Xavier Becerra, said that more than % of all American adults have received at least their first dose of the vaccine.
“We know that we are more than a third of Americans that we have been fully vaccinated, ”said Becerra. “That is great news.”
He asserted that like many other Mexicans and Latin Americans this past Mother’s Day there was a double celebration in his family, the Mexican and the American, and he felt very comfortable by being able to hug his mother without fear of infecting her.
“I hope Americans want to have a good Memorial Day. I certainly hope that people will take up President Biden’s challenge to have a great Independence Day on July 4 by being able to celebrate together without a mask, ”added Becerra. “To do this we have to be vaccinated, because we know that science has shown us, and the facts have documented that if you get vaccinated you are safe, at least safer, and you are a safer person for the rest of the United States.”
Until now, people over 12 years can be vaccinated. To find out which is the closest location in the state of California call (833) 422 – 4255 or visit: myturn.ca.gov