1/ We need to do a better job of vaccinating the Latinx community in the U.S. A lower % of Latinx adults have been vaccinated than white / Black adults, yet more Latinx adults want to get vaccinated ASAP than white / Black adults. This is UNMET DEMAND.
2/ Latinx adults are worried about themselves / family getting sick from COVID than Black / white adults. This worry is even higher among potentially undocumented, Spanish-speaking, &/or poorer Latinx adults = more likely frontline workers & fewer protections against COVID.
3/ Risk factors for not being vaccinated despite wanting to get vaccinated ASAP: immigration status, Spanish-speaking, uninsured. Look how high vaccination rates are among permanent residents vs potentially undocumented Latinx. They understand risk, but ACCESS is a barrier.
4/ 1 in 4 Latinx adults have had difficulty finding information about COVID vaccines in Spanish, being able to sign up for an appointment in Spanish, or being able to communicate with someone in Spanish at their vaccination site.
5/Non-US-born Latinx adults worry that seeking vaccination could impact their / family’s immigration status. Worry about being asked for a government-issued ID to get vaccinated. Like many across the political spectrum, they don’t want to be tracked.
6/ The govt collects demographic data (numbers, % by age/race/zipcode) NOT personal data on those getting vaccinated.
7/ Many in Latinx communities don’t access the help they need because of what it could mean for their immigration status. This applies not only to vaccination, but also to food, housing, and health care.
8/ The less $ they make, the more likely Latinx adults are to worry about:
- lost wages for time off due to vaxx-related side effects
- needing to pay out of pocket for vaccination (COVID VACCINES ARE FREE)
- not being able to get vaxx at a trusted place
9/ We need to provide paid time off for vaccination AND paid time off for people experiencing side effects from vaccination.
10/ We need to do a better job of getting COVID vaccine information to Latinx Adults, especially the most vulnerable who speak only Spanish, may be undocumented, and are poorer.
11/ Many Latinx adults aren’t sure whether they are eligible for COVID vaccination in this country.
- ALL ADULTS IN THE U.S. ARE ELIGIBLE FOR COVID VACCINATION
- COVID VACCINES ARE FREE
- COVID VACCINATION IS NOT BEING USED TO TRACK PEOPLE
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1/ CDC's new mask guidance:
Fully vaxx’d do not need to mask.
EXCEPTIONS:
- Healthcare and long-term care facilities
- Travel by bus, plane, train, public transportation
- Transportation hubs
- Prisons, jails, homeless shelter
- If you have symptoms? Mask & test.
Some thoughts…
2/ The science shows that:
- VACCINATED people are PROTECTED
- UNVACCINATED people are at RISK
Cases are down by 1/3 in the last 2 weeks.
The risk of vaxx’d persons transmitting to others is very low.
HOWEVER...
2/ We came into the conversation thinking that many of their concerns would revolve around women's health issues (e.g. fertility, pregnancy, breastfeeding, menstruation). At least two of the women were pregnant.
3a/ But their biggest concerns were no different from many other groups:
- How could the vaccines have been developed this quickly?
- What are the long-term side-effects?
- Are the vaccines safe and effective in people who have underlying medical conditions like me?
1/ On the issue of whether you need to mask outdoors, folks are conflating population attributable risk (the % of disease due to an exposure) with individual risk of disease from an exposure.
2/ @VauseCNN's skydiving analogy is a fairly good one. Not many people die from skydiving accidents per year, but skydiving is a high-risk activity.
3/ But the analogy isn't perfect because you can't transmit skydiving disease & death. In calculating population attributable risk, we should also take into account that SARS-CoV-2 is transmissible.
Here's who's most and least enthusiastic about getting vaccinated:
2/ We've made progress with those who want to "wait & see" across multiple demographics including communities of color and conservatives, who were the least vaccine confident at the start.
The % who definitely don't want to get vaccinated has remained stable since January.
1/ The single most important messenger is someone’s primary care provider.
People want to know if the vaccines will be safe and effective FOR THEM.
Your personal healthcare provider is best positioned to address this. debeaumont.org/wp-content/upl…
2a/ What can healthcare workers do to encourage others to get vaccinated?
- Lead by example: get vaccinated and share your experience with others.
- Be prepared with the facts to answer questions about COVID vaccines. justhumanproductions.org/resources
2b/
- Share educational materials widely: on your website & on social media.
- Ask every patient if they’ve been vaccinated.
- Send a letter or email to all your patients.
1/ India is setting global records for COVID cases—and the numbers are massively undercounted. Hospitals are full. Patients have died as hospitals have run out of oxygen. Cremations are taking place in parking lots and parks.
2/ Colleagues and I are putting together guides on how to care for COVID at home (more Indian language translations to come) because the situation is so dire.