COVID-19 cases are increasing daily in the state. Sacramento County’s case rate is at 16.3 new cases per 100,000 people — almost doubling the case rate from 10 days ago.And as vaccinations lag across the county, seven months since the vaccine first arrived in California, some areas are still facing major disparities.On Tuesday, KCRA 3 went out to the North Highlands area with a zip code 95660 has 41% of its residents partially vaccinated, while 35% are fully vaccinated. This is the area with the lowest vaccination rate in the county. Friday, KCRA 3 checked out the area with the highest vaccination numbers in the county — located in Rancho Cordova. A mostly rural area with the zip code 95742, where 99% of the residents have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 shot, and 89% are fully vaccinated.Nick Mori, a program planner with Sacramento County Public Health says, “It’s easy to ask what are we doing differently in one neighborhood vs another, and honestly there was no particular effort with this particular zip code that led us to this high vaccination effort,” adding that while it’s exciting to see such a high number of people choosing to get vaccinated, health officials don’t believe there is one single reason why the rates are so different.Jennifer Hartman is among the 89% of residents who are fully vaccinated in this zip code. She’s a nurse and received her first dose just before Christmas of 2020.”I’m surprised but I’m happy and I’m so thankful to our community that has gone out and has gotten vaccines. As an Emergency Room nurse, I’m so, so thankful for my community to vaccinate themselves,” Hartman said. Among the 1% that hasn’t received a single dose is Kevin Groce, who says he’s not fully against the vaccine but is confident that he has a good immune system.”I take supplements and in the last 40 years I’ve been sick maybe five times,” Groce said.Sacramento County Public Health officials emphasize that the lowest vaccination rates are still among younger people.And as a nurse, Hartman tells KCRA 3 that’s being reflected in emergency rooms.”In the first wave, we saw a lot of elderly people, a lot of people with comorbidities, different health problems, then we a little low but in this second wave of COVID, we’re seeing young people with no comorbidities, no other health issues. And they’re coming in and they’re so, so sick,” Hartman said.She adds that nurses are tired and don’t want to go through high numbers of patients again.As far as trying to get to lower-resourced areas, county officials say they have a vaccine ambassador program that works with a couple of dozen community-based organizations to help provide accurate information about the vaccine in their language.Currently, the Sacramento County Public Health Department is hosting between 20 to 25 pop-up clinics, weekly, and they’re targeting areas with lower vaccination rates.
COVID-19 cases are increasing daily in the state. Sacramento County’s case rate is at 16.3 new cases per 100,000 people — almost doubling the case rate from 10 days ago.
And as vaccinations lag across the county, seven months since the vaccine first arrived in California, some areas are still facing major disparities.
On Tuesday, KCRA 3 went out to the North Highlands area with a zip code 95660 has 41% of its residents partially vaccinated, while 35% are fully vaccinated. This is the area with the lowest vaccination rate in the county.
Friday, KCRA 3 checked out the area with the highest vaccination numbers in the county — located in Rancho Cordova. A mostly rural area with the zip code 95742, where 99% of the residents have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 shot, and 89% are fully vaccinated.
Nick Mori, a program planner with Sacramento County Public Health says, “It’s easy to ask what are we doing differently in one neighborhood vs another, and honestly there was no particular effort with this particular zip code that led us to this high vaccination effort,” adding that while it’s exciting to see such a high number of people choosing to get vaccinated, health officials don’t believe there is one single reason why the rates are so different.
Jennifer Hartman is among the 89% of residents who are fully vaccinated in this zip code. She’s a nurse and received her first dose just before Christmas of 2020.
“I’m surprised but I’m happy and I’m so thankful to our community that has gone out and has gotten vaccines. As an Emergency Room nurse, I’m so, so thankful for my community to vaccinate themselves,” Hartman said.
Among the 1% that hasn’t received a single dose is Kevin Groce, who says he’s not fully against the vaccine but is confident that he has a good immune system.
“I take supplements and in the last 40 years I’ve been sick maybe five times,” Groce said.
Sacramento County Public Health officials emphasize that the lowest vaccination rates are still among younger people.
And as a nurse, Hartman tells KCRA 3 that’s being reflected in emergency rooms.
“In the first wave, we saw a lot of elderly people, a lot of people with comorbidities, different health problems, then we a little low but in this second wave of COVID, we’re seeing young people with no comorbidities, no other health issues. And they’re coming in and they’re so, so sick,” Hartman said.
She adds that nurses are tired and don’t want to go through high numbers of patients again.
As far as trying to get to lower-resourced areas, county officials say they have a vaccine ambassador program that works with a couple of dozen community-based organizations to help provide accurate information about the vaccine in their language.
Currently, the Sacramento County Public Health Department is hosting between 20 to 25 pop-up clinics, weekly, and they’re targeting areas with lower vaccination rates.