LOS ANGELES \u2014 Women in Boyle Heights are knocking on doors to encourage their neighbors to get vaccinated.<\/p>\n
\u00abPromotoras,\u00bb or community health workers, are working where they live as part of University of Southern California’s Community Vaccine Navigators program.<\/p>\n
They receive training and a stipend to encourage their neighbors to get the vaccine<\/p>\n
Just over 63% of Boyle Heights residents ages 16 and up are vaccinated, along with 43% of youth<\/p>\n
Residents can get vaccinated at nearby clinics including Keck Medical Center and Clinica Romero
\nMaria Altamira goes from house to house waiting for residents at places like Ramona Gardens public housing to open the door and open their minds to the idea of getting vaccinated.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m actually a resident of Ramona Gardens myself, and I really like to help out the community,\u201d Altamira said.<\/p>\n
Altamira received training and a stipend to encourage her neighbors to get the vaccine. Just over 63% of Boyle Heights residents ages 16 and up are vaccinated and 43% of youth.<\/p>\n
Lots of doors go unanswered. Some have already had visits and others have already received the vaccine. Altamira keeps moving in memory of another promotora named Liliana Martines, her best friend who passed away last month. Altimara carried on in her honor.<\/p>\n
Altamira walks around three days a week with Emma Gonzalez by her side. Emma also lives in Boyle Heights, and for her, the work is personal: Her older kids got COVID-19.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey had to work, they had to continue to work and they actually got COVID there at work,\u201d Emma said. \u201cI had to take care of them. Thank goodness I didn\u2019t get COVID but that was very hard.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now, they do the hard work of knocking on doors and knocking out misinformation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey don\u2019t feel ready or prepared. There\u2019s a lot of myths about the vaccine,\u201d Altamira said. \u201cBut we have to be persistent and keep giving them the information because that\u2019s really what\u2019s going to help them get the vaccine.\u201d<\/p>\n
Altimara’s neighbor, Genoveva Gonzalez, hasn\u2019t gotten the vaccine because to her, it doesn\u2019t seem to be helping.<\/p>\n
\u00abPeople who are vaccinated as well, but they are still in the hospital, and there is still a lot of contamination,\u00bb Genoveva said. \u00abSo I don\u2019t know if they know what they are promoting or really putting out here on our body because I\u2019m not gonna be a guinea pig.\u00bb<\/p>\n
After talking to Altamira, Genoveva said she may decide to get the shot because she\u2019s a caregiver.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen it comes to mandatory then I have to and I have to go to work,\u201d Genoveva said. \u201cI\u2019m gonna have to take it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Altamira walked away happy after hearing that she may soon get a dose.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven with this visit, it\u2019s like she is now thinking about it, and she feels a little more comfortable, and I really think she\u2019s going to get the vaccine,\u201d Altamira said.<\/p>\n
Residents can get vaccinated at nearby clinics including Keck Medical Center and Clinica Romero.<\/p>\n