Why are so few people getting vaccinated in the Inland Empire?
Less than half of Inland residents have been vaccinated against COVID-19  significantly lower than the percentage in Los Angeles County and California overall  but health officials and others are working to increase that number. That requires knowing why people arent getting vaccinated. Factors slowing the pace in Riverside and San Bernardino counties include difficulties with access and taking time off work for people in lower socio-economic communities, distrust of government and seeing the vaccine as a low priority. Also there have been mixed messages from elected officials and clergy whove argued against state shut-down orders, face-covering mandates and even getting the vaccine, government and academic sources said. Most studying the issue split the unvaccinated into three groups: those opposed, those who are skeptical but could be persuaded and those who are interested but havent done it yet. As a county, were focusing our efforts on those who want to be vaccinated but are having a harder time getting vaccinated, said Andrew Goldfrach, San Bernardino Countys interim health director. For those who are sure they dont want to be vaccinated, its their personal choice, and I respect their opinions. But vaccines have been proven to be safe and the science is overwhelming in terms of the efficacy of the vaccine.  The counties efforts include going door-to-door in areas with low vaccination rates to inform them of nearby vaccination sites, hosting events with draws such as ice cream and paying for radio and billboard ads in multiple languages. Theyve found that health officials often arent as trusted  people have no relationship with them  and have had more success partnering with individuals and groups trusted by the unvaccinated, county officials say. With the states COVID-19 restrictions ebbing and more people gathering at restaurants, malls and stadiums, the Inland Empire could see a coronavirus resurgence because of its low vaccine rates, experts warn. Inland counties rates are in the bottom half of the 58 counties and health officials are struggling to vaccinate more people in an increasingly difficult effort to reach herd immunity, which means between 70% and 80% of the population are inoculated. In San Bernardino County, 34.5% of the population are fully vaccinated and 40.9% have received at least one dose, according to California Department of Health data as of Friday, June 18. While the top-ranked county, Marin, has fully vaccinated 68.5% of its residents, San Bernardino County places 44th. Riverside County is only slightly better, at 36% of the population fully vaccinated and 44% at least partially vaccinated. Riverside County ranks 36th. Public health experts say the sharp drop in cases, deaths and hospitalizations from the December and January surge is due partly to state and county restrictions but mostly the result of an aggressive vaccine rollout that has nearly stopped virus transmission. But new cases still occurring  albeit at a much lower rate  are almost exclusively from non-vaccinated people, public health officials say. Adding a more open society into the mix of counties with 50% or more of the population unvaccinated may lead to outbreaks down the line. Counties with lower vaccination rates will be at greater risk for outbreaks than counties with higher vaccination rates, said Dr. Geoffrey Leung, Riverside Countys public health officer. Some just saying no to shot  A survey done by Riverside County in April and May of 2021 received more than 3,000 responses. About 20% of the population of the county said they are not planning on getting vaccinated, according to survey results, said Jose Arballo Jr., spokesperson for the Riverside County public health department. The most common reason was the belief that COVID-19 poses a low personal risk, Riverside County spokesperson Brooke Federico said. Some wanted more information on the vaccines safety, she said. Leung said as more of what he called fence-sitters become vaccinated and enjoy the benefits, such as visiting family, seeing grandchildren or going to a restaurant without wearing a mask, that leads to others changing their minds and getting inoculated. He figures the numbers of vaccine-hesitant people in the county is closer to 15%. San Bernardino County chose not to do a similar survey because officials were concerned it wouldnt be accurate  they couldnt tell who was voting and if they did so multiple times. But theyve seen similar state data and have spoken to enough people to have a good idea of why people arent getting vaccinated, Goldfrach said. Theyve partnered with dozens of community-based organizations that talk directly to people who havent received the vaccine and those who didnt get it before but now are getting the jab. One partner for both Inland counties  as well as others statewide  is Dr. Ramiro Zuniga, vice president and medical director for Health Nets Medi-Cal line of business. Hesitations can be broken into three categories, he said, and Health Net has a response for each. People are concerned about safety, but only about 10% of people have side effects severe enough to miss a day of work and only a few deaths have occurred  mostly women under 50 taking the Johnson & Johnson vaccine  out of millions of vaccines given in the United States, he said. Theyre concerned about effectiveness, but clinical studies and real-world data show vaccines are highly effective at protecting people from sickness and from passing on the virus, he said. And they struggle with access, which is why he advises people to visit myturn.ca.gov or call 833-422-4255 to find an appointment near them. Still, some residents remain opposed. Linda Vargas, a 25-year-old Rancho Cucamonga resident, is not planning to get the vaccine. She has never taken antibiotics, over-the-counter pain killers or any flu vaccine. She works on building up her immune system by eating a healthy diet of vegetables, some proteins and grains. I know that I am very healthy. I dont feel like I am jeopardizing anybody, she said Thursday, June. 17. Vargas said she will continue to wear a mask in public, practice social distancing and wash her hands. She believes the vaccine may do more harm than good. And if she did get infected with the coronavirus, she said: My body would fight it off.  Rich Garcia, a 54-year-old Menifee resident, said he compared the survival rate for someone in his age group who got COVID-19 to the risk of serious side effects from the vaccine. Its based on evidence, Garcia said. Isnt it rational and logical to look at the death rate from the vaccine and then the death rate from the disease and then weigh out the decision?  COVID-19 is responsible for 600,000 deaths, which is equal to the yearly death toll of cancer. That includes 4,625 in Riverside County and 4,622 in San Bernardino County. Most are older, but close to 2,000 Inland residents under 60 years old have died of COVID-19. Reasons behind vaccine hesitancy  A California survey released June 9 found a discrepancy in those vaccinated vs. those not vaccinated due to income. Lower-income residents have a 59% vaccination rate, lower than the 64% of those who make between $40,000 and just under $80,000 and much lower than the 79% rate for those earning $80,000 or more, according to the Public Policy Institute of California statewide survey conducted in May. Black Americans, at 56% and Latinos, at 60%, are being vaccinated at lower percentages than whites  72%  and Asian Americans  80%  according to survey results. Statistics in Riverside County cities mimic these statewide polls. For example, these communities had some of the highest percentage of vaccinated populations of those 12 years or older: Rancho Mirage (84%); Palm Springs (78%) and Desert Palms (88%). All are considered more affluent communities. Middle or lower-socio-economic communities had lower vaccination rates, including Coachella (44%); Corona (48%) and Jurupa Valley (42%), according to county statistics. Though the shot is free, people working two jobs and raising children have a hard time getting time off to get the shot, Leung said. It seems to be harder with families that are struggling because they have so many other priorities, he said. But UC Irvine professor and epidemiologist Andrew Noymer said that is no longer true. You can walk into any retail pharmacy and get vaccinated, he said Monday, June 14. While economics play a role, one expert said much vaccine hesitancy in Riverside County is due to elected officials, such as county Supervisor Jeff Hewitt and Sheriff Chad Bianco, who have spoken out for the past 16 months against Gov. Gavin Newsoms safer-at-home orders. County supervisors jettisoned the countys mask order in May 2020. Bianco said in a December interview that he will not get the vaccine, that instead he would beef up his immune system and stay healthy, then tested positive in January. Both officials have joined with evangelical leaders who have held rallies condemning rules against gatherings, mask-wearing and other restrictions that experts conclude brought down the surge and allowed the state on Tuesday, June 15, to mostly reopen. Bianco said in that interview that the virus was not a lethal threat to those who are healthy. Richard M. Carpiano, a UC Riverside professor researching public health and the pandemic, said those messages politicized scientific facts and has led to vaccine hesitancy. This has undermined the credibility of public health and made outreach harder, Carpiano said. If they are downplaying the significance of the pandemic itself, that will only feed into the problems of vaccination uptake. And will leave pockets of vulnerable people.  Carpiano said many Southern California residents and elected officials have joined with right-wing extremist groups, delivering a mistrust in government that has cost lives. If you push scientific mistruths you have blood on your hands, Carpiano said. Hewitt said he worked hard to bring in more vaccine supplies early in the vaccine effort, saying the state was underserving Riverside County. He also advocated for more mobile vaccination teams to visit senior centers, he said. Hewitt brushed aside the criticism, saying Carpiano has spent very little time in the real world.  Hewitt, who said he was vaccinated, believes it is up to each individual to decide whether to get the vaccine and would not advocate for it. We want to make sure all those who want the vaccines get them, he said. The vaccines have done a lot of good.  Bianco did not respond to requests for interviews. The vaccine push continues Saturday, June 19, when NFL Hall of Fame lineman Anthony Muoz returns to his native Ontario to speak at Anthony Muoz Hall of Fame Park, 1240 W. 4th St, from 2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Shots will be given there from noon to 4 p.m.  When I was in college, I had three knee operations, which enabled his 13-season NFL career, Muoz said. I know Im not a doctor, but Ive educated myself, and this is important.