San Joaquin County’s Diversity Challenge – Vaccinating refugees, rural migrants, isolated older adults, unhoused people

San Joaquin ranks 31 among the state’s 58 counties for adults who have completed the primary COVID vaccines and is struggling to raise booster and vaccine rates for younger kids.

The county has drawn on an innovative mix of programs to reach an increasingly diverse mix of rural migrants, recently settled refugees, low-income and unhoused people.

Speakers at the briefing included public health officials and community organizers who have worked on the frontlines of the pandemic since the start.

Experts at the briefing included:

Dr. Maggie Park, San Joaquin County Public Health Officer

HengSothea Ung, Program Director, Apsara (serving Cambodian refugees)

Kevin Sunga, Health Director, Little Manila Rising

Jose Rodriguez, President, El Concilio

Zonnie Thompson, Community Organizer, Faith in the Valley Stockton

Nick Worrell, Unhoused