EP #70: Latinos, Schools and COVID: Non-Profit UnidosUS Addresses Community Concerns-

Lisa is solo and is joined by ALBERTO A. GONZÁLEZ, JR., Senior
Strategist for the Health Policy Project at UnidosUS  to
talk about  a new survey finds continued concern from
parents with emergency COVID vaccine authorization for kids under
12 on the horizon. 70% OF LATINO PARENTS SUPPORT COVID-19 VACCINE
REQUIREMENT FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF    

 More than 5 million children have tested positive for
COVID-19 since the onset of the pandemic. As the Delta variant
continues to spread across the country, risks for infection are
increasing for Latino children who are back in school and remain
unvaccinated.     


 According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), Latino children are more than three times as likely to be
hospitalized for COVID than non-Hispanic white children. A new
survey by UnidosUS (formerly the National Council of La Raza) of
Latino parents about evolving perceptions of the pandemic and
vaccines has found an overwhelming majority of Latino parents now
support policies that require all students and staff to be
vaccinated for in-person schooling. Survey findings include the
following:    


Most Latino parents (nearly 90%) are increasingly concerned
that their children will become seriously ill from
COVID-19.    

7 in 10 (70%) expressed support for requiring that all
students and staff be vaccinated for children to safely return to
school.    

More than 6 in 10 Latino parents (62%) have vaccinated their
eligible children, compared to 41% of parents overall. 
 

Nearly half (48%) of all Latino parents intend to vaccinate
their children under age 12 as soon as possible once vaccine is
made available to that age group.    



UnidosUS, previously known as NCLR (National Council of La Raza),
is the nation’s largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy
organization. Through its unique combination of expert research,
advocacy, programs, and an Affiliate Network of nearly 300
community-based organizations across the United States and Puerto
Rico, UnidosUS simultaneously challenges the social, economic,
and political barriers that affect Latinos at the national and
local levels. For more than 50 years, UnidosUS has united
communities and different groups seeking common ground through
collaboration, and that share a desire to make our country
stronger.