Santa Clara County Doubles Canvassers To Promote COVID-19 Vaccine

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA — Santa Clara County is doubling the amount of full-time canvassers to conduct community engagement in high-risk neighborhoods regarding COVID-19 vaccinations as public officials lament a stall in vaccine supply.

In a news release, the county announced that it added 30 canvassers to its team, which now has at least 60 people helping to educate community members about the safety and importance of getting vaccinated as well as scheduling appointments.

Workers have arranged more than 1,000 appointments for residents of high-risk neighborhoods over three days, according to the county. Another 2,000 agriculture workers have been vaccinated through partnerships with local farms in Morgan Hill and Gilroy.

“We are all facing immense challenges during this time, but some community members are shouldering the worst of this public health crisis,” Dr. Sara Cody, the county’s public health officer, said in a news release. “We need a vaccine distribution system that works for all of us, not just some of us. This is not only the right thing to do, it is also our way out of this pandemic.”

But vaccinations clinics for farm workers had to be postponed this week due to low and unpredictable supply from the state. Capacity at an educator-focused clinic and overall number of appointments has been scaled down as well.

“Many people, community groups, and organizations have been working tirelessly to quickly scale up capacity for vaccine distribution, so we are very disappointed by these setbacks,” County Executive Jeffrey Smith said in a news release. “As soon as the State can get us more vaccines, we are ready to get them to all of our residents, especially those who have been most impacted by this virus.”

Over 338,500 residents have received a first dose.

Click here for more information about vaccinations in Santa Clara County.