It’s a simple and intuitive idea: People tend to listen more to those they know.
So in L.A. County, health officials are enlisting people living in tents, RVs and makeshift shelters to help get unhoused people vaccinated against COVID-19.
latimes.com/california/sto…
Dozens of people have become peer ambassadors through the demonstration project, which compensates them to do the work for up to eight hours in total, providing $25 gift cards to stores such as Target or Ralphs for each hour worked.
latimes.com/california/sto…
They work side by side with L.A. County Department of Health Services workers, sharing their personal experiences with the vaccine. The teams also hand out snacks, water and other critical supplies, including naloxone kits to treat opioid overdoses.
latimes.com/california/sto…
As of late September, public health officials estimated that 56.7% of people experiencing homelessness across L.A. County were at least partially vaccinated, compared with nearly 78% of the broader population.
latimes.com/california/sto…
“Every day is different,” said Anthony Coleman, a community health worker who led the team around Lincoln Park, cautioning them to watch for protective dogs outside tents and RVs. “One day we can get a hundred, next day we might get none.”
latimes.com/california/sto…
One of the big benefits of bringing on peer ambassadors is that they can say things to their friends and neighbors that wouldn’t fly from health workers.
Read more from @AlpertReyes at
latimes.com/california/sto…
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.