{"id":119500,"date":"2021-05-06T12:07:05","date_gmt":"2021-05-06T19:07:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/69.46.6.243\/?p=119500"},"modified":"2021-05-06T12:07:05","modified_gmt":"2021-05-06T19:07:05","slug":"as-california-surpasses-30-million-vaccines-governor-newsom-doubles-down-on-efforts-to-vaccinate-hard-to-reach-communities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=119500","title":{"rendered":"As California Surpasses 30 Million Vaccines, Governor Newsom Doubles Down on Efforts to Vaccinate Hard-to-Reach Communities"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sacramento, CA…Governor Gavin Newsom announced a series of initiatives building on the state\u2019s work to vaccinate California\u2019s hard-to-reach communities against COVID-19, address vaccine hesitancy and drive innovative efforts in the communities hardest hit by the pandemic. New efforts focus on direct appointment assistance; community outreach including neighborhood canvassing, phone banking and text banking; at-home vaccinations and transportation services; and an additional $33 million in funding, bringing the total to $85.7 million, to support community-based organizations.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe\u2019re at a pivotal moment in our COVID-19 vaccine rollout \u2013 more than 30 million doses have been administered in California to date, and it\u2019s going to take some new approaches to reach those who haven\u2019t been vaccinated yet,\u201d said Governor Newsom. \u201cThese enhanced initiatives build on the community-based approach the state has taken throughout this crisis, in order to ensure vaccines are easily within reach of more people.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition, building on the bipartisan work done during the \u201cWear A Mask<\/a>\u201d campaign, California Governors Gavin Newsom, Jerry Brown, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Pete Wilson have come together to encourage all Californians to get vaccinated. The PSA was created and produced by ATTN and can be\u00a0viewed here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

About 60 percent of eligible Californians have received at least one dose and as of April 15, anyone age 16 and up is eligible to receive the vaccine. As the number of unvaccinated Californians narrows, the state\u2019s robust\u00a0vaccine performance<\/a>\u00a0management system has helped determine where to focus efforts.<\/p>\n

To bolster vaccine access in hard-to-reach communities, the state is moving away from mass vaccination sites and toward more targeted outreach with small clinics in communities with the highest disease burden. This move will make it easier for people to access vaccines. Mobile sites will continue to operate in partnership with places of worship throughout the state, as well as in coordination with businesses, school districts and local health departments where vaccination efforts are already underway.<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a>\u00a0to watch a recap of California\u2019s work to equitably distribute COVID-19 vaccines across the state.<\/p>\n

These new initiatives build on the state\u2019s\u00a0Vaccine Equity Metric<\/a>\u00a0(VEM) that started in early March to send double the amount of doses to those communities facing the highest disease burden, defined as those ZIP codes in the lowest quartile in the Healthy Places Index (HPI). Since the VEM went into effect, California has dedicated 40 percent of the state\u2019s supply of doses to the lowest HPI quartile to improve equity in vaccinations.<\/p>\n

Today, an estimated 53 percent of individuals in the lowest quartile still need COVID-19 vaccinations, while just 28 percent of individuals in the highest quartile remain unvaccinated. Since January, California has accelerated its pace of vaccination and now exceeds the national average.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the most important responsibilities of government is to make sure that the most vulnerable receive equal protection, especially during a crisis,\u201d said Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, California Surgeon General. \u201cThese enhanced efforts aim to meet people where they are while building upon California\u2019s ongoing commitments to ensure that equity is guiding our overall strategy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Governor announced seven new and enhanced equity strategies in the state\u2019s vaccine rollout, including:<\/p>\n