Woman Determined to Raise Latino Vaccination Rate in Colorado Partners With Local Health Agencies

By Jess Smith First Posted: Mar 30, 2022 08:17 AM EDT

Colorado is struggling to vaccinate more of its Hispanic population, and a woman, who is a Latino community leader, is trying to change that.

In one of the efforts she's taken to help get more Latinos in Colorado to get the COVID-19 vaccine, Julissa Soto organizes vaccination clinics in places where public health officials often do not go, like churches, nightclubs, and markets.

9News reported Soto uses untraditional and unconventional strategies. According to the latest data from the Tri-County Health Department (TCHD), compared to the 81 percent vaccination rates of white and non-Hispanic people in Adams County, only 49 percent account for Hispanic people.

It is similar in Arapahoe County, where the vaccination rate among Hispanic people is also 49 percent, compared to 76 percent for white and non-Hispanic people.

Soto, an independent health equity consultant who works with the state's Colorado Access, said she felt that they had done a poor job educating the Latino community in their own language, Colorado Sun reported.

Through her efforts, Soto estimates that she has helped vaccinate roughly 13,000 Coloradans in the past seven months.

The community activist and member of the Colorado Vaccine Equity Task Force said she's taking the time to educate residents of the Latino community about the vaccine "so they lose that fear."

Tri-County Health Department in Colorado Assists Latino Community Leader Julissa Soto

As larger COVID vaccine community sites close and shift to the process of getting the shot at a pharmacy or doctor's office, Julissa Soto noted that community-based efforts must continue since Latinos still lag behind in vaccination rates.

While everyone is fighting hard to have the communities vaccinated, Soto believes that "we need a little bit more of a push to get to the communities in a way that they want us to show up."

TCHD has reportedly been a big help for the clinics that Soto has helped facilitate.

In a statement emailed to 9News, a spokesperson for the department said that access to vaccines in Latino communities was a "top priority" for public health agencies in Colorado, including TCHD, and community clinics were a large part of their strategy to reach the Latino population.

Last November, Soto facilitated vaccine clinics at the Stampede nightclub in Aurora and outside a market.

TCHD believes that several possible contributing factors, such as lack of trust in vaccine safety, trust of providers, and convenient access, contribute to lower vaccination rates among Latinos compared to other groups.

Still, the department's increasing array of community partners are working closely with the Latino communities to ensure that they have access to reliable information and providers when making vaccine decisions.

Future Plans of Latino Community Leader Julissa Soto

With the help of TCHD and Colorado Access, Julissa Soto said she plans to host clinics every Sunday in April at places such as La Plaza Colorado and churches in Aurora and Commerce City.

She noted that she would like to hold a vaccine clinic at a car wash or other restaurant in the future.

"My community is not hesitant about the vaccine, it's the access. It also is the education," said Soto.

She noted that one of the main keys is building trust with the community while also recognizing the need for different approaches for different communities.

Soto's overall message to the community was to trust messengers, key messengers, and brokers, so they can work together to transform safety and public health.

Her message for public health officials was to understand that low vaccination rate is not only about hesitancy but also access.

"That is all about access to care," Soto noted.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Jess Smith

WATCH: Woman Determined to Raise Vaccination Rate Among Latinos in Colorado Through Community-Based Effort - From 9News