Undocumented immigrants residing in San Diego County are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine for free.
However, local activists agree that there is still much work to be done to build trust in the community around the issue.
The government of President Joe Biden, stressed in its national strategy against the pandemic their commitment to “ensure that safe, effective and free vaccines are available to all the American people, regardless of immigration status.”
In the document presented on January 21, the current federal administration reaffirmed that the information acquired will be used exclusively for services related to public health and will not be shared or used by any other federal agency, including the Immigration and Customs Office (ICE). ).
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) pointed this monday that “it is a public health and moral imperative to ensure that all individuals residing in the United States have access to the vaccine.”
Therefore, it was reported that there will be no operations by immigration agents in vaccination sites or in their surroundings.
Immunizing the undocumented community is a crucial piece in the fight against the pandemic. It is estimated that around 170,000 undocumented immigrants reside in San Diego, according to a report released in 2017 by the Pew Research Center.
Many undocumented immigrants in the country they work in essential areas such as agriculture, food and health care, among others.
Misinformation, the digital divide, language and the arduous process to schedule an appointment, coupled with the fear of sharing personal data also hinder this task.
“There’s still a lot of lack of confidence,” said Nancy Maldonado, leader of the San Diego Latino Health Coalition.
“We receive many calls from undocumented people who ask where this information (that is shared) is going and who receives it.”
Although it is not a requirement to have a Social Security number, it was found that until this Monday this information is still requested when scheduling an appointment, at least that was the case in the super vaccination center in Petco Park that uses a citation system of the University of California San Diego (UCSD).
In the portal itself it is explained that if you do not have a Social Security number, you can fill this space with the Individual Taxpayer Identification number (ITIN). If the person does not have either of the two numbers, they can put the number instead 000-00-0000.
Maldonado called the simple fact that the question remains on the form problematic, and said county officials have told them they plan to remove it.
“People share information. If a person knows it is there and tells someone else, that could discourage people from getting vaccinated, “said the Chicano Federation executive director.
For other vaccination centers in the County, such as the Chula Vista super station, the social security number is not requested in their appointment system, as it was found.
Eligible people at this stage of vaccination, such as those over 65 years of age and health sector personnel, must carry certain documents when going to their appointment to identify themselves.
To get vaccinated, the undocumented can show proof of residence or employment, in addition to any document that indicates their year of birth, detailed a spokesperson with the County.
Those over 75 years of age who do not have access to a computer or are not familiar with this technology, can make their appointment through the 2-1-1 telephone line.
The Consulate General of Mexico in San Diego indicated that it has been in communication with local health authorities to ensure that equitable access to the vaccine is guaranteed.
“In a context of scarcity regarding vaccines, immigrants in general residing in this area are fortunate because here the local authorities are very aware of their responsibility to ensure equal conditions, regardless of income levels, nationality or immigration status. ”, Considered the general consul, Carlos González Gutiérrez.
The official said that they have offered that in the future the consulate host a vaccination clinic as they have done for months with COVID-19 tests.
This is because immigrants could feel more confident to be familiar with the site.
This strategy has yielded good results, considered the consul, who said on certain days that space that is operated by the County of San Diego has offered up to 500 tests.
Authorities recalled that seeking the vaccine does not imply any repercussions on the migration process.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has clarified that getting tested or seeking treatment related to COVID-19, including the vaccine, will not be considered under the “public charge” rule imposed by the previous federal government.
It has even been said that President Biden will seek to reverse this rule within his migration plan.
Christian Ramírez, policy director with the Service Workers Union (SEIU), trusts that there is a will on the part of the authorities to bring the vaccine to the most vulnerable, but he believes there must still be a message focused on the undocumented sector.
“With campaigns on the radio, on social networks, door to door, talking to community and religious organizations and doing a whole information campaign,” he said.
Ramírez urged immigrants to get vaccinated as soon as possible. “Our community has lived through a hellish year and we have to get vaccinated to get ahead and save lives.”
Of the more than 239,000 confirmed infections in the County, more than 56 percent are people of Latino descent, according to data from the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA).
As of this Monday, just over 267,000 people in San Diego County have been vaccinated, of which only 14 percent identify themselves as Hispanic.
Supervisor Nora Vargas noted that the County will soon begin a campaign to educate the Spanish-speaking community about the vaccine and how to make an appointment, as well as ensuring that their personal information will be taken care of.
It also seeks to open more vaccination clinics with Spanish-speaking personnel in places where people are confident to go.
“We want the majority of people to get vaccinated because this will help us get back to our daily lives.”
Rosalba, who because of her immigration status preferred to omit her last name, has worked in restaurants in San Diego for more than 20 years.
Although she acknowledges that she has a certain fear of the unknown about the vaccine, she assures that both she and her husband will use it as soon as it is their turn.
“If the opportunity is given that one has to put it on, I will not doubt it,” said the 42-year-old mother.
Rosalba worked as a waitress for several months since the start of the pandemic, although her hours were cut at times due to restrictions on restaurants.
For now, he is taking a break due to the fact that his fifth daughter was recently born.
It is precisely because of his family that he wants to protect himself from the virus.
“Many of my fellow restaurateurs like me, we went out to work and we don’t know if when we return we are already infected.”
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