KTAR News photo/Gabriel Gamiño
By Daniel Gonzalez |Arizona Republic
For many low-income seniors of color such as Phoenix resident Librado Otero Estrada, getting the COVID-19 vaccine has been an especially difficult if not insurmountable task.
On top of the challenges other eligible people have experienced, including the often frustrating process of figuring out how to register online for a COVID-19 vaccine appointment, low-income seniors of color face many other obstacles that are preventing them from getting the shot.
Related: Arizona pediatrician: Risk of COVID-19 ‘relatively low’ for kids in school //
City of Phoenix to provide COVID-19 vaccine to most vulnerable residents //
Arizona COVID-19 updates: 10,000 masks that kill viruses given to Phoenix police, schools //
Suing for COVID-19 infections, deaths would be ‘incredibly difficult’ under legislation at Capitol.
Scientists expect California COVID-19 variant to become dominant in Arizona
Yet because they often have higher rates of chronic medical conditions, low-income seniors of color are especially vulnerable to the coronavirus, making getting vaccines all the more critical, health experts say.
They often don’t own cars or don’t drive because of age and health issues, and therefore are dependent on someone else driving them to and from one of the limited COVID-19 vaccine sites.
Many don’t own computers or tablets or don’t have access to the Internet, making it difficult to register for a vaccine appointment. And many, such as Otero Estrada, an 81-year-old immigrant from Cuba, are more comfortable speaking languages other than English.
