Several essential workers in Santa Clara County, including teachers and farm workers, will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine by the end of the month, health officials said Wednesday.
Those working in the agricultural, food, education and childcare sector and emergency services can report their first dose of coronavirus vaccine from 28 February, said Dr. Sara Cody, health officer, said at a news conference.
“We have, of course, seen a number of challenges for the provision of vaccines and other complexities surrounding the implementation of this historic vaccination campaign,” Cody said. “This extension of fitness will help ensure that many of our vital workers – especially those living in communities hardest hit – have access to the vaccine.”
The expansion came after a good progress with the vaccination of older residents by Cody. More than 50% of residents aged 75 and older have been vaccinated, in addition to nearly half of those aged 65, she said.
The first phase of California’s vaccine deployment included health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities, followed by 65 and older. The California Department of Public Health has authorized local health law authorities to vaccinate the next wave of residents, known as Phase 1B, and include the sectors that will soon be eligible in Santa Clara.
This discretion has led to unequal access to vaccines for teachers, agricultural workers and other vulnerable groups across the country. Although some counties in California and the Bay Area – including Marin and Alameda – have begun to fall on the list of 1B workers in recent weeks, others, such as Santa Clara, have continued to do so. Health officials in Los Angeles announced a similar expansion on Tuesday.
According to the CDPH’s vaccination panel, approximately 6.4 million doses have been administered as of Wednesday. Of the Californians who received at least one dose, only 16% are Latinx, despite the fact that they make up about 38% of the population and 55% of cases of coronavirus. These inconsistencies are reflected in Santa Clara County, where only 6% of Latinx residents are vaccinated. The Latinx community consists of 25% of the country’s population and 51% of cases.
City councilor Rebeca Armendariz said the fight to get farm workers, grocery stores and other essential workers vaccinated depends on the country’s ability to stand up more and mass vaccination sites in the coming weeks.
On Tuesday, the state unveiled two new mass vaccination facilities at the Oakland Coliseum and Cal State Los Angeles with the goal of vaccinating people in hard-hit neighborhoods.
“The number of Latinos and elderly people vaccinated is still far too low and incredibly disproportionate,” Armendariz said. “We must continue with this and greater efforts to achieve it.”
Provincial officials said they were creating more availability for weekends and weekdays for appointments and expanding efforts to reach residents, focusing on neighborhoods with the highest infection rates, such as Gilroy and East San Jose. .
Earlier this month, the province also instituted a policy of ‘no wrong door’, which residents may be eligible to enroll with a provider or the country itself, regardless of private insurance.
“We will do everything in our power to reach you, whether you are documented, not documented, what have you,” Cody said. “If you live in our community in Santa Clara County, please be vaccinated.”