Public Health Urging Gold Country Farmworkers To Get COVID Shot
Sonora, CA – Tuolumne County Public Health along with four other counties are encouraging Gold Country farmworkers to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
There are more than half a million farmworkers in California, a major supplier of produce for the nation. Currently, those workers are categorized as frontline essential workers in the Phase 1B vaccine priority group, which are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, relay public health. This group has been hit hard by the virus, suffering higher rates of infection and related fatalities, according to a study by UC Berkeley School of Public Health.
In response, an Ag Taskforce made up of Tuolumne, Fresno, Madera, Merced, and Tulare public health departments and nine community-based organizations helped created the promotional campaign “Do Your Part, Save Lives, Vaccinate!” Ads will run on media platforms in those counties and are voiced in both English and Spanish and begin this week during National Public Health Week.
The goal is to make it easy for farmworkers to get vaccinated in these counties. Public health provided the major points of the campaign below:
• Getting vaccinated is the best way for individuals to protect themselves, their families, and their communities against COVID-19.
• Vaccines are free, safe, and effective, and have been tested and approved by medical experts.
• Farmworkers are eligible for the vaccine regardless of immigration status or whether they have
health insurance.
• Where and how to register for the vaccine in the county where an individual works or lives.
Farmworkers can register for the vaccine at myturn.ca.gov, click here. Tuolumne County is switching to that state online program tomorrow (Thursday, April 8th). Click here for details on virtual celebrations for National Public Health Week.
