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TRENDS Podcast: Coronavirus Vaccines – Does Everyone Have Equal Access?
COVID-19 has been devastating for everybody, but even more so for the Latinx community. Colorado Public Health data shows that while non-Hispanic whites in the 70+ age group in Colorado have been vaccinated at a higher rate than their representation in the overall population, only about 5% of Hispanics in that same age group have been vaccinated, even though they represent almost 22% of the overall population.
Sheila Davis, the Health Equity Coordinator for Boulder County Public Health, says that the problem exists in our county as well, where vaccination rates for minority populations, including the Hispanic community, are much lower than those for dominant populations.
Listen to the Equity and Vaccines TRENDS podcast episode
Subscribe to TRENDS on iTunes to get new editions automatically. Also on Spotify and Stitcher.
COVID-19 has been devastating for everybody, but even more so for the Latinx community. Colorado Public Health data shows that while non-Hispanic whites in the 70+ age group in Colorado have been vaccinated at a higher rate than their representation in the overall population, only about 5% of Hispanics in that same age group have been vaccinated, even though they represent almost 22% of the overall population. Sheila Davis, the Health Equity Coordinator for Boulder County Public Health, says that the problem exists in our county as well, where vaccination rates for minority populations, including the Hispanic community, are much lower than those for dominant populations.
"I suspect it's because traditional COVID vaccination strategies were designed for the dominant culture, that they were designed for people who have (medical) providers who can enroll in a vaccination through their provider," says Davis.
Boulder City Council members are working to address the issue of unequal access to vaccines. Councilmembers Mary Young, Junie Joseph, and Mayor Sam Weaver drafted a letter with recommendations for equitable vaccine distribution.
"This came about, of course, because of what we have seen throughout the whole pandemic and what this pandemic has basically exposed, something that has been with us all along... the inequitable treatment of people of color and the data backs everything up," says Councilmember Young.
Young says a significant piece of progress is the county's mobile testing unit. "We wanted to make sure that mobile testing unit was going to the places that most needed the access to the testing," she said.
Boulder County has also hired a cultural broker to do specific coronavirus outreach into the Latinx community. "I know they've been to places in Longmont, to a mobile home park in Longmont. And so the County has been working really hard to put in place the infrastructure that will enable them to have a more equitable approach to addressing the pandemic, both testing, and the vaccine," says Young.
COVID tests being prepared on the Salud mobile clinic.
Debbie Salazar, Migrant Health Director with Salud Health Centers, says one issue is the information about the coronavirus that is made available to the Latinx community.
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By TRENDS Archives - KGNU Community Radio
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COVID-19 has been devastating for everybody, but even more so for the Latinx community. Colorado Public Health data shows that while non-Hispanic whites in the 70+ age group in Colorado have been vaccinated at a higher rate than their representation in the overall population, only about 5% of Hispanics in that same age group have been vaccinated, even though they represent almost 22% of the overall population.
Sheila Davis, the Health Equity Coordinator for Boulder County Public Health, says that the problem exists in our county as well, where vaccination rates for minority populations, including the Hispanic community, are much lower than those for dominant populations.
Listen to the Equity and Vaccines TRENDS podcast episode
Subscribe to TRENDS on iTunes to get new editions automatically. Also on Spotify and Stitcher.
COVID-19 has been devastating for everybody, but even more so for the Latinx community. Colorado Public Health data shows that while non-Hispanic whites in the 70+ age group in Colorado have been vaccinated at a higher rate than their representation in the overall population, only about 5% of Hispanics in that same age group have been vaccinated, even though they represent almost 22% of the overall population. Sheila Davis, the Health Equity Coordinator for Boulder County Public Health, says that the problem exists in our county as well, where vaccination rates for minority populations, including the Hispanic community, are much lower than those for dominant populations.
"I suspect it's because traditional COVID vaccination strategies were designed for the dominant culture, that they were designed for people who have (medical) providers who can enroll in a vaccination through their provider," says Davis.
Boulder City Council members are working to address the issue of unequal access to vaccines. Councilmembers Mary Young, Junie Joseph, and Mayor Sam Weaver drafted a letter with recommendations for equitable vaccine distribution.
"This came about, of course, because of what we have seen throughout the whole pandemic and what this pandemic has basically exposed, something that has been with us all along... the inequitable treatment of people of color and the data backs everything up," says Councilmember Young.
Young says a significant piece of progress is the county's mobile testing unit. "We wanted to make sure that mobile testing unit was going to the places that most needed the access to the testing," she said.
Boulder County has also hired a cultural broker to do specific coronavirus outreach into the Latinx community. "I know they've been to places in Longmont, to a mobile home park in Longmont. And so the County has been working really hard to put in place the infrastructure that will enable them to have a more equitable approach to addressing the pandemic, both testing, and the vaccine," says Young.
COVID tests being prepared on the Salud mobile clinic.
Debbie Salazar, Migrant Health Director with Salud Health Centers, says one issue is the information about the coronavirus that is made available to the Latinx community.