Vaccine uptake in Santa Clara County is hitting a low, with only 19 percent of the residents rolling up their sleeves for the latest COVID jab as of December 18, according to county health officials. In a stunning revelation of disparity, numbers are starkly gloomier among Latino and African/African ancestry communities, where vaccination rates stand at a mere 9 and 11 percent, respectively.
The shift to a commercial market for vaccine distribution seems to have badly backfired, leaving the uninsured and underinsured struggling to justly obtain their shots—a stark contrast to earlier days when vaccines were more readily accessible at no cost. Dr. Sarah Rudman, Deputy Health Officer for the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department, emphasized in a statement that addressing health inequities is a high priority and noted, "Culturally centered outreach and education must be strengthened, to remove barriers and to connect people to the preventative care they need."
The latest vaccine, essential for everyone aged 6 months and up, boasts as the prime weapon against the COVID variant now in circulation. Further compounding the issue, data reflects that Latino residents are trailing at 40 percent the vaccination likelihood of their white counterparts for the fall 2023 updated shot—a worrisome drop even from the 50 percent rate during the bivalent booster campaign in 2022-2023.
Despite the hurdles, the health department isn't waving a white flag. They're hustling to ensure that no one slips through the cracks, confirming the CDC's Bridge Access Program's implementation while also pushing for improvements. They've been taking the vaccine directly to people at community events, ensuring they to easily access their dose. And for those sans insurance or a regular doctor, help is at a beckoning call at the local community clinics or at the county health system's Patient Access Department.
In an effort to get ahead of the virus and encourage immunization, the Public Health Department has been carpet-bombing the county with flyers in multiple languages and splashing ads across digital, radio, and print media to direct residents to where they can get the vaccine gratis. Dr. Rudman told Santa Clara County News, "It is not too late to benefit from getting the latest COVID vaccine and this year’s flu shot." The county health department's website can provide more details and vaccine sites.
