Berkeley Hits Key Vaccine Milestone

BERKELEY, CA — The city of Berkeley announced it has hit an important vaccination milestone this week.

Half of Berkeley residents have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine jab as of Monday, Mayor Jesse Arreguín said in a statement.

The East Bay city’s 50 percent vaccination rate far outpaces the nation’s 32 percent rate and the state’s 42 percent rate, Arreguín said.

“Vaccinating our city, which is critical to saving lives and getting Berkeley back to business, remains my number one priority," Arreguín said.

Meetings with Black and Latinx community leaders, faith leaders and community groups, led to the implementation of mobile clinics at local churches and community centers, Arreguín said.

"From the moment Berkeley declared a local emergency, our City has been ahead of the curve,” Arreguín said.

“Be it outfitting local nursing homes with extra PPE, raising $4.5 million for Berkeley’s Relief Fund, housing vulnerable populations, or launching a coordinated vaccine rollout, Berkeley continues to tackle the pandemic head on.

"Berkeley’s Department of Public Health and all our frontline workers who continue to serve this community have been absolute heroes, and we are grateful for their courage and commitment.”

As of Monday, among the city’s adult population (aged 16 and older), 48 percent of Berkeley’s white residents, 35 percent of Black residents, and 35 of Latino residents have received at least one dose.

Nationwide, 25 percent of white Americans, 15 percent of Black Americans, and 13 percent of Latino Americans have received at least one dose.

The efforts of grassroots groups such as Latinxs Unidos de Berkeley, which independently organized canvassing to sign up difficult-to-reach populations and bridge the digital divide have been especially impactful, Arreguín said.