Have you gotten it?
August 2021
Dear Neighbors and Friends,
Despite a surplus of COVID-19 vaccines, only about half of Americans are fully vaccinated. In L.A. County and across the State of California, Black and Latino households are the least likely to have all eligible persons fully vaccinated. There is a vaccination site map on my webpage, https://a51.asmdc.org/covidvaccine, so you – and everyone ages 12 and older in your household – can get one. Please use this map if you need to find a COVID-19 testing site.
As students head back to school, we find ourselves at a pivotal moment. If those who have been hesitant to get the COVID-19 vaccine get it, and if we all continue to wear masks in spaces where we are interacting with persons who do not live in our household, we will be able to put the COVID-19 global pandemic behind us. Otherwise, the Delta, Delta Plus, Lambda, and other variants of the disease will lead to increased hospitalizations, and unnecessary deaths.
The Delta variant now makes up the vast majority of cases of COVID-19. The strain is more contagious, and patients who are infected with it have significantly higher viral loads. It binds a protein on some human cells, called ACE2, more tightly than earlier versions, and that may allow it to spread in the body more rapidly. This accompanies a shift in COVID-19 cases to younger populations. In other words, the Delta variant helps explain why we are seeing COVID-19 hospitalizations amongst younger patients who are getting sicker, quicker than before.
Please remember that getting vaccinated and wearing a mask are not solely about your personal health. These actions are for the protection of those who cannot get vaccinated because they are under 12 years old, are going through chemotherapy, or have an autoimmune disorder. Wearing a mask and getting a vaccine are also about the protection of those who remain susceptible to illness, even though they have been vaccinated.
Although it is an imperfect analogy, it helps to think of the vaccine as wearing a life vest in the ocean. It is still possible that a wave might pull you under the water, but the life vest helps bring you to the surface. You might still swallow water and struggle, but the life vest helps save your life, and if someone without a life vest is counting on you to keep them afloat, then it helps save their life as well.
Click here to view the series of articles and videos the University of California put together to explain the development of the COVID-19 vaccine. There are videos by numerous research universities and hospitals in English & ASL and Spanish that provide answers to Frequently Asked Questions, as well as a Myths vs. Facts guide in English and Spanish available. You can also read more about the Pfizer, Moderna, and J&J vaccines that you may choose between by visiting: https://dhs.lacounty.gov/ and https://juntossipodemos.hhs.gov/.
Again, there is a COVID-19 vaccination site map on my website so everyone 12 and older in your household can get one. Please use this testing site map if you need to find a COVID-19 testing site. Reach out to my office if you need help with EDD, and remember, you have until October 15 to prepare and file your state and federal taxes for free, so you can receive the California Earned Income Tax Credit, the Young Child Tax Credit, and the Golden State Stimulus. Please visit HousingIsKey.com to see if you qualify for help covering back rent and overdue utilities.
My office’s top priority is ensuring that you have access to the support you need. Please visit my website https://a51.asmdc.org/ or call 213 483 5151 if you need assistance accessing housing, healthcare, food, financial, or any other resources for your family or business.
In Service,
Wendy Carrillo
Assemblywoman, 51st District