Effort Underway To Quell Hesitancy About COVID Vaccine In Colorado's Latino Community

(CBS4) - Clinica Tepeyac in Denver is positioned to be a COVID vaccine distribution site during phase two and three of the Colorado distribution plan. Eighty percent of their patients are immigrants, many of them are essential workers, and almost all of them are uninsured.

A recent CDPHE survey reveals reservations among the state's Latino population when it comes to willingness to get the vaccine. A breakdown of that survey shows overall 76% of men say they plan to get the vaccine, but only 57% of women plan on it. In minority groups, those numbers drop even more. Among the Hispanic population, 67% of men and 51% of women plan to get it. Fifty-eight percent of African American men said they would be vaccinated, while only half of African American women agreed.

"I think there is a level of hesitancy and concern on the part of the Latino community, especially when you talk about the immigrant communities," said CEO Jim Garcia. "I think people are just not getting good, data-driven, information."

Garcia says education about the vaccine is the first step in making sure patients feel safe.

"When it comes to how we educate our community, a lot of it is that word of mouth that happens, and it starts here with patient visits with their provider, and their provider educating them about the vaccine," said Garcia. "They'll go back to their family, and that's exponentially how that happens in terms of the education process."

Clinica Tepeyac says that education starts with making sure health care providers have all the information they need to answer patients' concerns. They believe the vaccine will have a positive impact on the Latino population they serve, but they will have to get them on board first.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment started a new initiative, Champions for Vaccine Equity, to foster relationships and dialogue with communities who have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. They'll reach out to communities around the state to make sure they have information about vaccine importance, effectiveness, and safety. Champions, health care workers with lived experience, will listen in on community events, and share accurate information about the vaccine.

As Clinica Tepeyac continues to offer a city-run testing site during the pandemic, Garcia hopes their community outreach for the vaccine will be just as effective.

"We're ready, and we'll be there to serve the community," said Garcia.