Elected officials in San Mateo County are calling on the federal government and California to prioritize COVID-19 vaccines for the hardest-hit communities.
Democratic state Sen. Josh Becker, who represents most of San Mateo County, said he is pressing for greater vaccine supply and more resources to inoculate East Palo Alto residents, many of whom are low-wage essential workers.
“This community has been on the front lines, and providing human capital to allow those of us who have the privilege of working from home to continue to do so,” said Becker at a press conference near Cesar Chavez Ravenswood Middle School in East Palo Alto. “They have stood with us during our darkest hours, and they must be treated like the priority that they are.”
East Palo Alto has one of the county’s highest COVID-19 case rates, but also the lowest proportion of eligible residents who have been inoculated. Nearly 12% of people who live in the predominantly Latino city have received at least one dose of the vaccine, compared to 47% of the population in much wealthier Atherton, according to county figures.
East Palo Alto has a slightly lower population than neighboring Menlo Park, but three times as many COVID-19 cases, according to county data.
“An aggressive vaccination rollout is what the fight for racial equity and social equity is and looks like in 2021,” said East Palo Alto City Council member Antonio López. "There are still two sides to the Bay Area. One with instant and immediate access to basic resources, and the other living paycheck to paycheck, struggling to figure out how to keep their family safe.”
David Canepa, president of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, says he's hopeful the recently approved Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which only requires one dose instead of two, could be a “game changer,” and that newly available vaccine supply should be allocated to essential workers like those in East Palo Alto.