Although California has the lowest COVID-19 case rate in the country, according to recent data by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some areas of the state are still dealing with low vaccination rates.
"We look very good compared to the rest of the nation," said Dr. Robert Siegel, professor of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Stanford University.
"California looks good, and the Bay Area looks even better, some other pockets within the Bay Area are even better than that," he said. In fact, Marin County is nearing 100 percent fully vaccinated, according to recent reports from county officials.
But vaccines still need to be provided for everyone in California, as well as incentives to get vaccinated. There are still various elements holding people back, even here, such as the spread of misinformation and political leanings.
Another factor contributing to hesitancy, said Siegel, is the difficulty in evaluating what information does come out about certain side effects. Some information gives more emphasis to possible side effects of the vaccine rather than the dire consequences of contracting COVID-19 itself.
There are small areas of the Bay Area where people are holding out on the vaccine. The best way to reach them is to engage with them on a one-on-one basis, said Siegel.
Broadcasting information about the vaccine and its effectiveness is helpful, "but that’s not nearly as effective as having your cousin or your best friend reach out and say, 'you really need to get vaccinated,'" said Siegel.
"If anyone out there can convince one person to get vaccinated today, you're a hero," he said.
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