COMMUNITY NEWS
May 27-June 2, 2021
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COVID-19 vaccine availability gives hope for Asian American and Pacific Islander May Heritage Month CDC continues to provide guidelines on safely gathering, traveling for fully vaccinated people
By Staff May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, a celebration of AAPI achievements and a time for the country to recognize our community’s contributions throughout U.S. history. This year, in the face of anti-Asian hate incidents and our community’s continued economic and social challenges, AAPI Heritage Month takes on a new meaning: Hope. As of this month, anyone aged 12 and older is eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine. States are also seeing increases in the availability of vaccine appointments, a shift from previously hard-to-get appointments. As of May 17, the CDC reported 157 million Americans have made the choice to be vaccinated. Among this number, at least 5.9% of Asians (non-Hispanic) and 0.3% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander groups have had at least one vaccination—that’s approximately 5.44 million loved ones! Moreover, since the start of vaccine distributions, more than 84.5% of older Americans (65-Plus adults) have been vaccinated—a dramatic shift in numbers that shows the wider community is doing their part to protect our elders and others by getting vaccinated. This means that 5.44 million AAPI community members are on their way to resuming the activities that they miss— seeing family and friends near and far,
gathering with the older generation, and traveling. And, vaccines are preventing nearly 100% of hospitalizations and deaths from COVID. This is proof that the vaccines are effective. In a recent AARP panel, Dr. Adelaida M. Rosario shared about the unique challenges of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities in receiving information about the vaccine. “The AANHPI community is extremely diverse and therefore, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach with communications,” said Rosario. “The Department of Health and Human Services has been working on a number of print materials and virtual materials in the relevant languages so we can reach the community in their native tongue.” Rosario was referring to a new national campaign that includes outreach and advertising to more than 15 AAPI communities, called
We Can Do This. “In addition to this pandemic, there’s this heightened negative attention right now, focused on the Asian American community because of all the stereotypes and it’s terribly unfor- Dr. Adelaida Rosario tunate,” Rosario added. “It becomes a ‘double pandemic’ essentially for all of our older Asian American community members because they’re dealing with all of this awful discrimination in addition to, layered with, this health crisis.” Rosario acknowledged that there are side effects for some people but said that it is “small numbers” and “rare occurrences” of illnesses compared to the millions who are fully vaccinated and have experienced minor side effects but are otherwise “doing fine.” “The benefits so far outweigh these small risks. The same kind of risks that any parents taking their small child to get their series of shots, you’re up against the same numbers,” Rosario said. “These rare occurrences are happening, but we’re really celebrating the successes that we’re seeing with the numbers of infections dropping and the successful inoculations at a population level that’s currently oc-
curring not only in the United States but across the world.” Before any vaccination, if you have questions, talk to your local healthcare provider or physician. If looking for additional resources, turn to your trusted local leaders. If you have access to the Internet and are able to search for information online, visit trusted sources like the CDC and visit vaccines.gov to find vaccines near you. Ultimately, one more person who has received the shot is one more step toward returning to life as it was before the pandemic. Encourage those around you to get vaccinated—from your college student to your grandparents, from your friends to your colleagues. With the country inching closer to 65% vaccinations this summer, there is tremendous progress that we are making together and next year should have a different outlook. By AAPI Heritage Month in 2022, the entire country can be vaccinated—we can do this!
Appreciate nurses: We can all do our part to help end the pandemic By Raynald Samoa, M.D., Endocrinologist
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, I have been inspired by the strength and resilience of California’s nurses, many of whom are Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). This May and every day, I urge everyone to express appreciation to nurses by helping to end the pandemic. As we celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Nurses Month this May, let’s pause to honor California’s nurses, who have never wavered in their dedication to us during the pandemic. In fact, some of them paid with their very lives. We can never repay the nurses who lost their lives on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, but we can help honor them and thank the nurses who are still hard at work in hospitals and health clinics across California. I urge all Californians to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and to continue following public health guidance so that we can help end the pandemic. People must continue hand-washing and social distancing, as well as wearing well-fitting masks when appropriate. Simply put, we all need to do our part for our nurses. According to a 2016 Healthforce survey by UCSF, more than one-fourth of California Registered Nurses are AAPI, with
Filipinos at 17.6% and Asians who are not Filipino at 8.8%. The survey also showed that non-Filipino Asians and Pacific Islanders account for more than 11 percent of nurses under 45 years old. Additionally, news reports from Propublica and LAist have chronicled the devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on Filipino health workers. We have read the stories about the death rate among AAPI nurses and recognize that some nurses also face fear amid increases in anti-Asian hate incidents during the pandemic. This May is the best time for us to come together in honoring nurses through our actions: wear our snug-fitting masks, wash our hands, get vaccinated. This is how we show our nurses we appreciate them, we care, and we want this pandemic to end. Visit https://myturn.ca.gov to find a vaccine site nearby and to register for a convenient appointment time. Or call the state’s COVID-19 hotline 1-833-422-4255, where translators are available in 250+ languages. (Editor’s Note: The writer is with the City of Hope and Clinical Lead for the National Pacific Islander Covid-19 Response Team (NPICRT) , City of Hope and Clinical Lead for the National Pacific Islander Covid-19 Response Team (NPICRT)
Gov. Newsom...
prepared than ever to face wildfire season,” Newsom said. Meanwhile, Governor Newsom, together with Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, White House National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy and Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Dr. Colin Kahl, announced an agreement that opens up the West Coast for offshore wind development for the first time in the state’s history. The agreement was described as a
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promising development that could help achieve the state’s clean energy goals, bolster renewable energy sources and create new jobs and investments in California. “Developing offshore wind to produce clean, renewable energy could be a game changer to achieving California’s clean energy goals and addressing climate change – all while bolstering the economy and creating new jobs,” said Governor Newsom.
