San Mateo County calls for prioritization of COVID-19 vaccination in East Palo Alto and low-income communities affected by SARS-CoV-2.
Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].
Officials in the San Mateo County have asked the federal government and the state of California to prioritize residents of East Palo Alto and other low-income communities to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, as they have been among the areas most affected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Many low-wage, essential workers live in such areas, so local, state and federal governments need to focus on improving the quality of the people who put their lives on the line every day to move everything forward, said Democratic State Senator Josh Becker.
"This community has been on the front lines and has provided human capital to allow those of us who have the privilege of working from home to continue to do so," Becker said at a press conference outside Cesar Chavez Ravenswood High School in East Palo Alto.
He added that these residents, "have been with us during our darkest hours and should be treated as the priority they are."
Notably, East Palo Alto has one of the highest rates of COVID-19 positive cases in the county, but also the lowest proportion of residents who have received the vaccine, with less than 12 percent of people living in the predominantly Latino city having received at least one dose of the vaccine.
Although the city is close to million-dollar corporations, structural inequalities have caused the gap in various sectors to widen more and more in comparison with other parts of the county, said Councilman Antonio Lopez at the time.
"There are still two sides in the Bay Area: one with instant and immediate access to basic resources, and the other struggling to figure out how to keep their family safe," he said.
Low-income residents often face additional challenges in getting vaccinated because, among other issues, lack of Internet connectivity limits them from signing up for appointments or simply lack of transportation makes it difficult to access a vaccination site.
In addition, undocumented immigrants living in East Palo Alto, where 40 percent of the population is foreign-born, are reluctant to get immunized because of the belief that they may get in trouble with immigration authorities and be deported.
In that regard, San Mateo County officials are working with a local community clinic, Ravenswood Family Health Center and other trusted organizations to inform East Palo Alto residents about the vaccine and immunize those who are eligible, said Deputy County Manager Justin Mates.
"San Mateo County recognizes that persistent inequities affecting communities with the highest exposure to COVID-19 also contribute to barriers to reaching all who are eligible for vaccination," Mates said in a statement.
Santa Clara County has opened large vaccination sites in affected communities and has gone door-to-door to inform residents that the vaccine is safe, free and available regardless of immigration status.
However, San Mateo County has not yet opened a large vaccination site in East Palo Alto, nor has it established mobile clinics in the area, although local officials are considering the strategy, said David Canepa, chairman of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors.
The biggest problem, the official said, has been that the state is not providing a sufficient or steady flow of vaccine doses to counties, and local officials struggle to plan ahead to get the ever-changing supply into people's arms.
In that regard, he noted that with the recent approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which requires only one dose, things may change, allowing such immunizations to be targeted to front-line workers such as those in East Palo Alto.
