Goeiemore, LA It’s March 12th.
At the beginning of this month, food and agricultural workers were eligible for the coronavirus vaccine. This includes grocery stores and restaurant workers, cafeteria workers and many more.
But for farm workers, one of the eligible groups may be difficult to access the vaccine. Of the estimated 200,000 individuals employed on farms in California, many work six days a week and do not live near a clinic or vaccination site. Others may not have reliable access to a computer or the Internet to schedule an appointment.
My colleague Sharon McNary reports that a non-profit organization in California has a better vaccination to meet farm workers where they are. Over the weekend, this meant that a temporary vaccination site had to be set up in an Oxnard alley, where 500 people got their first shot.
While some in the queue were already infected, receiving the vaccine provided much-needed relief that they would probably not put their bodies – or their families’ bodies – through it again.
When farm workers eligible for the vaccine, so do most child care workers, school staff and more emergency services staff. On March 15 – this coming Monday – admission to LA will expand even further to include residents between the ages of 16 and 65 with underlying health conditions.
In Long Beach, the expansion has already happened.
Many of these increased availability stem from President Joe Biden’s Goal to administer 100 million vaccines within 100 days, what he is now after expect to surpass. Several federally funded vaccination sites have opened in accordance with the purpose in California, including one at Cal State LA Vaccine supply was also on the rise in recent weeks.
Abel Aragón Perez, who has been working as a farm worker for 30 years and received the vaccination on Sunday, said he had good reason to ensure he remained healthy.
“As a father,” he said, “I have to think of my children.”
Read on for more information on what’s happening in LA today, and stay safe out there.
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What else do you need to know today
Weekend reading
There’s a lot going on in the world right now, and it’s hard enough to keep up with our daily lives, let alone keep up with the news. But if you have time for the weekend, you can miss it:
Racial difference in medical care permeates all areas, including the treatment of Alzheimer’s. (LA Sentinel)
Asian Americans in the San Gabriel Valley suffered what are racist motivated attacks. (LAist)
A local professor study the effects of increased screen time on children, as many increased their viewing / playing / browsing during the pandemic. (San Fernando Sun)
Domestic workers struggled with work and safety throughout the pandemic. (La Opinion)
Sex workers reform their industry using the tools and skills they learned during the pandemic. (LAist)
Promoters – community health workers – connect people with information and resources regarding the vaccine. (Boyle Heights beat)
Salsa Dancers did not allow the coronavirus to show their movements. (LAist)
Neighborhood Council Elections get around – be informed about what neighborhood councils do, and why you should care about who is with you. (The country)
A local artist put up benches around the LA River in Frogtown – until the city collapses. (LAist)
Before you leave … Outdoor this weekend: Desert X
Good everyone; we are almost in the red plane. This means that indoor dining, movie theaters and more can start slowly – slowly! – reopened, at limited capacity. So yes, start dusting your pants that do not have elastic waistbands, and look for your hairbrush. But until we get the official word, there is still a lot to do from your comfort (or outdoors!):
Watch the grunge hit the beach. Catches by Jhene Aiko and John Legend. Enjoy Tilda Swinton in Pedro Almodóvar’s latest spin. Read more about the history of Korean and Japanese alcohol. Cut in some Pi Day deals. Explore art in the desert. Laugh with Fortune Feimster. And more.
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Cheque LAist.com for updates on these stories and more. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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