Chicago, IL (April 2021) – Casa Central, one of the largest Hispanic social services agencies in the Midwest, created a Get Vaccinated resources page at www.casacentral.org/getvaccinated aimed at providing collective community resources about the COVID-19 vaccine, informing its participants, supporters, and the community in general, of resources available in the form of online learning, virtual events, and vaccination appointment opportunities. Casa Central dedicated time and resources to curate important content so Latinos have access to an equitable share of culturally and linguistically relevant information.
As we know, Coronavirus can affect anyone. Yet data continually show that Latinos and other people of color are disproportionately affected by the virus, amid other, worsening historical inequities. Latinos currently comprise 21.2% of COVID-19 cases in the United States, second only to Whites (55.6%), according to CDC data on March 31, 2021. And what we also know all too well is that Latinos are vaccinated for COVID-19 at far lower rates than other groups. As Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and other COVID-19 vaccines continue to be distributed across the country, over half of states are reporting the demographic makeup of their vaccine distribution numbers and unfortunately, Latinos make up a very low percentage of those getting a vaccine, despite being disproportionately hurt by COVID-19.
“As the pandemic unfolded, we at Casa Central anticipated the dramatic impact this crisis would have on the most vulnerable communities, especially the Latino community who make up a large share of our nation’s essential workforce. Today, we see another reality. The coronavirus pandemic has accentuated the already existing deep-seated inequities in health care for communities of color and amplified social and economic factors that contribute to poor health outcomes. And most times, this comes about because there are a lack of reputable resources and support in the formats and language needed. That’s why Casa Central felt it necessary to add these resources in one place, and two languages, for our community” said, Martin R. Castro President and CEO.
Casa Central’s Get Vaccinated campaign aims to bridge the information and support gaps while coming together to ensure the Latino community has the trusted information they need to access life-saving vaccines and other health resources.
Casa Central is one of the largest Hispanic social service agencies in the Midwest. Since 1954, Casa Central has delivered evidenced based, award winning programming in response to the needs of the Hispanic community, offering different programs for children, older adults, and families in general. Through comprehensive, family-centered programming, Casa Central is the conduit by which thousands of individuals build hope for the future while equipping themselves to achieve a sustainable, higher
quality of life to the benefit of self, family, community, and society. To learn more about Casa Central and its mission, visit CasaCentral.org or follow us on all social media platforms @CasaCentral.