Newsom visits Union City COVID vaccine clinic, touts state’s progress

UNION CITY — As millions more Californians became eligible for a COVID shot on Thursday, Gov. Gavin Newsom visited the Bay Area to highlight the progress the state’s vaccination campaign has made and to reaffirm his commitment to vaccine equity.

Newsom spoke to media after touring a vaccination site set up in the parking lot of the Our Lady of the Rosary church in Union City. The state opened COVID vaccinations to everyone 16 and older Thursday, a milestone Newsom hailed as a major step toward recovery.

“April 15 in the state of California is not tax day, it’s vax day,” he said.

So far, nearly half of all eligible Californians have received at least one COVID shot, Newsom said, and the state has administered more than 24 million doses — more than any other state. Many communities, including most of the Bay Area, had already opened vaccinations to all adults before Thursday, or at least allowed people to make appointments before Thursday. Though they were technically breaking with state protocol by jumping the gun, Newsom said he was “frankly grateful” that those communities had taken that step.

Newsom also doubled down on his promise to promote vaccine equity, citing the Union City clinic as a prime example of how California is working to achieve that goal.

“It’s been stubborn and it’s been hard, but it’s foundational,” Newsom said. “And we’re not going to take our eye off that ball.”

The Union City clinic, set up in partnership with the Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center, has administered nearly 45,000 vaccinations over the past six weeks. The majority of the health center’s patients are low-income people of color — people who are more likely to be impacted by COVID.

UNION CITY, CA – APRIL 15: A person receives a COVID-19 vaccine shot at the Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center’s vaccination site at Our Lady of the Rosary church in Union City, Calif., on Thursday, April 15, 2021. The state expanded vaccine eligibility to all Californians aged 16 and older on Thursday. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group) 

Newsom met with the clinic’s “promotoras,” who go door to door encouraging people to get vaccinated and answering questions. One of the first things they say to people who are hesitant to get a shot, the promotoras told Newsom, is that they have already been vaccinated themselves.

Those local efforts are essential, Newsom said, and the state has invested tens of millions to build those types of community initiatives and partnered with 300 churches like Our Lady of the Rosary.

“Our patients and community members trust us,” said Andrea Schwab-Galindo, CEO of the Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center.

Newsom called clinics like hers, where dozens of people were getting shots Thursday morning, the “backbone” of the state’s vaccination system.

So far, 4.84 million doses have been administered in disadvantaged communities in California, and Newsom said more is needed.

Latino residents have accounted for 55.6 percent of COVID cases in California but just 22.4 percent of vaccines administered so far, state data shows.

Supply also remains a concern. Last week, the state administered more than 2.7 million doses, and it has the capacity to handle more than 6 million per week. This week, California is expected to receive 1.9 million doses.

While the number of doses the federal government allocates to the state has remained constant, the federal government has increased the number of doses it allocates directly to pharmacies and clinics, Newsom said. He expects up to 1.5 million doses in direct allocations this week.

Newsom also addressed recent issues with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine — a defective batch was pulled recently leading to a shortage of doses, and then all use of the vaccine was paused after rare blood clotting was reported in a small handful of recipients. Johnson & Johnson accounts for just 4% of the state’s weekly doses, and California can make up for that shortfall with the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, Newsom said.

Newsom received the Johnson & Johnson shot two weeks ago.

UNION CITY, CA – APRIL 15: California Governor Gavin Newsom, left, grabs a flyer as Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center CEO Andrea Schwab-Galindo, right, looks on during a visit with staff members at the health center’s vaccination site at Our Lady of the Rosary church in Union City, Calif., on Thursday, April 15, 2021. The state expanded vaccine eligibility to all Californians aged 16 and older on Thursday. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)