MODESTO, Calif. — Even with plenty of COVID-19 vaccines to go around, many Latinos are still not getting it. In San Joaquin County, where the population is 42% Latino, just over 15% are fully vaccinated.
In Stanislaus County where the population is 47% Latino, only 12% are fully vaccinated.
"There's still a lot of uncertainty about the vaccines. People are still hearing the myths and stereotypes," President and CEO of El Concilio Jose Rodriguez said.
The social service provider says there are many reasons why Latinos are hesitant to get vaccinated.
"There's a chip in it. It changes your DNA. There has also been a heavy presence of law enforcement there to protect people who are providing the vaccinations right because there might be some protestors. But, what it is doing is it's discouraging people who are afraid of law enforcement going near the sites,” Rodriguez explained.
At San Joaquin County's largest clinic, the San Joaquin County Ag Center, on Tuesday there were no lines and no waiting. That is a disturbing trend for Latino healthcare providers. So, that's why the strategy is changing.
Instead of larger venues to deliver the shot, the new game plan is to come directly to those needing the vaccine.
"And we're learning from the essential worker is it's not that easy for them to leave work and just go and get something done,” said Yamilet Valladolid with Golden Valley Health Centers.
Valladolid says they will ramp up efforts to bring the vaccine right where Latinos gather.
"Where people go and worship, where children go to school, where people go shopping, and at times for example on the evenings and weekends," Valladolid said.
That may also include trusted places like cultural or community centers or small migrant head start locations.
"A lot of people are kind of waiting for each other to get the vaccine and then once they see their compadres are, 'OK then I'm gonna go ahead and do it,'" Valladolid said.
The bottom line, healthcare providers say, is it comes down to trust. Overall in California, 39% of the state’s population is Latino. But, more than 55% of Latinos make up cases of COVID-19 and nearly half the state’s deaths.
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