Kaiser Permanente Provides Equitable Access To Covid-19 Vaccines

Kaiser Permanente in Greater Sacramento is increasing access to the COVID-19 vaccine through key partnerships with local community and government organizations as part of an effort to vaccinate priority populations and those most affected by the pandemic.

By working to remove barriers to vaccinations, Kaiser Permanente is helping to ensure people have convenient access to the vaccine, particularly within neighborhoods and underserved communities. Kaiser Permanente is providing strategic support to community clinics to increase vaccination rates and is enlisting trusted messengers in the community to deliver information about vaccine safety and effectiveness. Kaiser Permanente physician experts are also speaking to community groups to build confidence in the vaccine and address vaccination equity gaps.

Kaiser Permanente has invested $5 million in Northern California to support the equitable roll out of vaccine in the communities we serve.

In greater Sacramento, more than $640,000 in grants is supporting vaccination efforts with non-profit organizations including:

• Asian Resources, Inc. – Support for the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, through outreach and advertising on ethnic media stations to promote vaccine confidence and access. The grant will also provide assistance with vaccination appointments for those with language barriers or who don’t have access to technology.

• Latino Leadership Council –Serving Latinx and Native Americans in Sacramento County, as well as Placer County, with transportation to vaccine sites, information about vaccination locations, and scheduling appointments. The Latino Leadership Council will also support the Sacramento Native Alliance on similar efforts.

• World Relief - Sacramento Chapter – Serving North Highlands/Foothill Farms as well as Citrus Heights with outreach to Afghan residents on special immigrant visas and refugees from former Soviet Union countries about the safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine. The grant will also address technology, language, and transportation barriers.

• Sacramento Area Congregations Together (ACT) – Serving Arden Arcade, north and south Sacramento, Oak Park and Del Paso Heights neighborhoods, by recruiting and training COVID-19 ambassadors from congregations to canvass neighborhoods with information about vaccine safety and access. The grants will also assist with booking vaccine appointments.

• Health Education Council (HEC) and Mexican Consulate – By hosting weekly vaccine clinics at the Mexican Consulate, HEC will work reduce language and transportation barriers, with the goal of vaccinating at least 4,800 Latinx community members during the 6-month grant period. Consul General Lilianna Ferrer Silva and her staff will also communicate about the importance and urgency of getting vaccinated to Mexican nationals served by the Consulate in their 24-county region across Northern California.

"A worldwide pandemic like COVID can test our faith, but our faith is strong. At Sacramento ACT we know that we are at our best when we work together, ensuring that no one is standing alone,” said Gabby Trejo, Executive Director for Sacramento ACT. “As the faith community we are reminded that we are called to care for one another, and getting vaccinated is one way we can keep our loved ones and community safe. Kaiser Permanente has been a key partner in helping us build a healthy and thriving community.”

White and higher-income Americans are more likely to have received a vaccine than African American, Hispanic, and lower-income groups.

A recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation (no affiliation with Kaiser Permanente) found one-third of unvaccinated Hispanic adults say they want a vaccine as soon as possible, about twice as many as unvaccinated Black and White adults. However, Hispanics also report more barriers to getting vaccinated including fears about missing work, not being able to get the vaccine from a trusted place or difficulty traveling to a vaccination site.

Kaiser Permanente Northern California is committed to increasing vaccination rates by hosting town halls to dispel vaccine myths and educate the community on the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine, working with faith-based organizations to raise awareness about the vaccine and to provide access to vaccinations in homeless encampments, hard-to-reach neighborhoods and senior populations with barriers to getting vaccinated.

Kaiser Permanente’s approach to the allocation of COVID-19 vaccine is consistent with the organization’s strong legacy of championing diversity, equity, and inclusion.

“Ensuring that our community has access to the COVID-19 vaccine is part of our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion,” said Sandy Sharon, senior vice president and area manager for Kaiser Permanente’s Sacramento service area. “We remain focused on the appropriate and equitable distribution of the vaccine by working with our community partners so that everyone has access and we can bring an end to the pandemic.”