Vaccines are important to prevent serious, sometimes deadly, diseases. This August, for National Immunization Awareness Month, we can highlight the importance of vaccination for people of all ages.

Latinos are one of the most under-vaccinated demographic groups in the country. The Office of Minority Health lists these stats:

  • In 2020, Hispanic adults were 30 percent less likely to have received the influenza (flu) shot, compared with non-Hispanic whites.
  • In 2017, Hispanic adults age 65 and older were 30 percent less likely to have received the pneumonia shot, compared with non-Hispanic white adults of the same age group.
  • Hispanic children ages 19 to 35 months have comparable rates of immunization for hepatitis, influenza, measles, mumps, rubella and polio.
  • Hispanic women are 20 percent less likely to receive an HPV vaccine, compared with white women.
  • In 2017, Hispanic adults were 30 percent less likely to be fully immunized against hepatitis, compared with white adults.

We can address low vaccination rates by assisting those who aren’t as fluent in English to get vaccinated at clinics where Spanish is spoken. We offer information to assuage vaccination fears and skepticism that surged from COVID and facts for parents to get their children vaccinated. Below are resources that provide more information.