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Asian Americans: can we talk about vaccines for a sec? The government data shows that our community is getting vaccinated at high rates. But what if the data is not quite right? What if researchers think it's possible we're actually dying at higher rates?
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-04-21/chinatown-vaccine-clinic-asian-american-seniors
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-04-21/chinatown-vaccine-clinic-asian-american-seniors
The part about vaccine equity, I had heard anecdotally. Of course when you think about places like Arcadia and Irvine, those Asian Americans are getting vaccinated just fine. But what about the lower-income Asian communities in LA? What about the ones who don't speak English?
Our @latimes videographers @AlbertLeeInLA @diegomdrn23 & I visited a pop-up clinic in 1 of the poorest neighborhoods in LA: Chinatown. They're in the shadow of Dodger Stadium's vaccination site, but can't get there. Language/tech/transportation barriers. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-04-21/chinatown-vaccine-clinic-asian-american-seniors
Sissy Trinh from @seacala said she's been harassing the Mayor's office since last April: "You need to come out to Chinatown. We need support.” Vaccine clinics were hosted by the city, CORE & LAFD. But they also rely on volunteer work from community orgs.
Chinatown folks told us these immigrant communities aren't getting tested, which affects data. A lot of the surveys are only done in English/Spanish. If we only take into consideration Asians as a whole & not its individual subgroups, we're missing data.
For a year, researchers like @HappyAraneta & AANHPI Health Initiative have worked to analyze the data and add to the data - using obituaries, data from labor unions, word of mouth etc, to try to create a fuller picture. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-04-21/chinatown-vaccine-clinic-asian-american-seniors
What did the researchers find? WELL I have never had anyone make me a chart for my story before & when @jenpenned made me a chart, I was like, is there a greater gift? Unfortunately chart shows that the Asian American death rates in LA were higher than any other race.
But why?
But why?
Short answer is we don't know yet. Tested less? Health risks? Sheltering in fear? Is this the data we need in order to figure out how to serve the many communities within Asian America & the unique problems & barriers to access when it comes to the COVID vaccine + all else?
Is this whole thread leading you to an explanation of disaggregating the data by 2015 @frankshyong? Why, yes it is. There was a 2015 bill by Assemblyman @RobBonta that was vetoed. In Feb, he introduced another, this time including other POC communities. https://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-asian-veto-20151021-story.html
. @PIVOTorg's Thu Quach started a website to collect stories of Asian Americans who've had difficulty getting the vaccine due to language barriers. So they can go to govt & say this shouldn’t be happening & we have evidence that it’s happening everywhere.
https://www.asianamvoices.org/
https://www.asianamvoices.org/
