SACRAMENTO – (INT) - Disinformation is becoming the biggest issue as divisions deepen in the fight against the coronavirus.

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is firming up partnerships with local health officials and community organizations to fight disinformation, enhance demand for vaccinations and focus on equity as some communities contend with rising levels of illness.

More than 74 percent of those aged 12+ in California have received at least one dose. Vaccines remain the best protection against COVID-19, including the highly infectious Delta variant, the CDPH says.

Health officials insist that the unvaccinated are not only at much higher risk of getting COVID-19 than those who are fully vaccinated, they are also far more likely to suffer severe illness, hospitalization, and death.

“COVID-19 remains a very real threat to those who are unvaccinated. It is imperative that we fight the disinformation that is leading Californians to be skeptical of this life-saving tool we now have. Californians must take action to protect themselves and those in our communities who cannot get vaccinated, including children under age 12,” said Dr. Tomás J. Aragón, CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer.

“COVID-19 vaccines are free, safe, and our best tool in stopping the spread and mutation of variants.”

The CDPH has launched a $40 million CalVaxGrant program to bring more vaccines into doctors’ offices, giving physicians financial resources to safely store and dispense COVID-19 vaccinations.

Story Date: September 14, 2021