In the past two weeks, Antioch city has reported 804 news cases of Covid-19 infections while the current vaccination rate is 62%.
Now, to put a full stop to this and increase the vaccination rate, Antioch city mayor Lamar Thorpe has joined hands with Walnut Creek Mayor Kevin Wilk to lay out two options for city government employees:
- Get Vaccinated or,
- Face weekly testing.
Not just that, they have also challenged all the cities within the Contra Costa County to implement this & curb the number of Covid-19 cases.
In his statement, Wilk highlighted the fact how 98% of Covid-19 deaths are caused because of people not getting vaccinated.
On the contrary, Contra Costa County has reported 1.7% of the total COVID deaths even after getting vaccinated.
He also said, those who’re vaccinated, reduced their chances of getting infected by 5X & those who get infected, reduces their chances of hospitalization by 9-times. Anyone below the age of 65 reduces the number by 14X.
When laying out these facts, Wilk stated “These numbers cant be ignored.
He further added by sharing the data on different age groups.
By far, the most vulnerable age group is in the following sequent:
- 19-30
- 31-40.
- 5-12 Years Old (Highest in last 30 days)
“We need to protect our community and last week Walnut Creek made an announcement that all employees of Walnut Creek, this includes contractors and volunteers must be vaccinated as of yesterday,” said Wilk.
After this announcement, Walnut Creek reported an uptick of 5% of vaccinations within city employees.
Last week, when Mayor Thorpe challenged him to join Walnut Creek and do the same thing, he hoped they could challenge other cities in Contra Costa County and the Bay Area to join them.
“Getting vaccinated is the most effective way an individual can take to survive so that we can all get past the pandemic,” said Thorpe.
“Health experts assert that the vaccine is safe and for those of you who may not know, its free. Its extremely important to get this life saving immunization to protect ourselves, our loved ones and our community so the spread of the coronavirus can be stopped.”
While in the last 14 days, 804 Antioch residents have tested positive for COVID-19. Thorpe said, “This is the highest case rate throughout the county. Antioch is the epicenter of the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic right here, right now. In my opinion, 62% of vaccination rate is dangerously low. We can do better,” “As a city government, If we want the residents to take vaccination seriously, then we must lead by example.
“I stand with Mayor Wilk in calling out all Bay Area city mayors to advance similar measures that mandate vaccinations for city employees in an expeditious manner,” said Thorpe.
He continued by talking about the mistrust in government.
“As an African American and a Latino, I’m painfully aware of the historic mistrust of our communities and the Government. There are millions of example of what Government has traumatically inflicted on communities like ours that have helped shape the experience and how we experience our life today. This is having a devastating impact on vaccination rates among African Americans and Latinos countywide.”
He said across Contra Costa County, African Americans are have a 60% vaccination rate while Latinos are at 68%. He then compared it to 90% vaccination rates of Asian Americans and other ethnic groups.
“I am calling on every African American and Latino in the City of Antioch and frankly throughout our county and throughout the Bay Area to get vaccinated now,” stated Thorpe.
When asked to speak on the mistrust that community members have other than general mistrust of government for not getting the vaccination, Thorpe stated gaps in service, language barriers in the Latino community and it took the county a while to translate stay at home orders.
“There is always going to be gaps and there is always going to be a general mistrust but you and I know there is a unique mistrust between black people and government. Throughout this pandemic there isn’t a black person I heard who hasn’t talked about the Tuskegee experiments and so I understand that but I want to assure African Americans, Latinos and everybody I have been vaccinated about three months ago and I am fine.”
He also blamed Conservative Media and Fox News.
“I don’t think its also helping that conservative news outlet, like Fox News, are telling people not to get vaccinated or misrepresenting the truth by saying more people who are vaccinated are dying from COVID-19, that is not true, that is a bold face lie being told by Fox News” said Thorpe. “I can’t express enough the damage that these conservative news sites are doing to our communities because of the misinformation they are spreading and the hypocrisy that most of them are vaccinated telling other people not to get vaccinated.”
Wilk echoed Thorpe when it came to conservative news and websites, but also stated social media is spreading misinformation. He urged those spreading misinformation to stop and for people to get their information from trusted media sources and doctors.
“It’s reprehensible that people would be putting any kind of doubt in other peoples minds of trying not to get vaccinated or not wear masks,” said Wilk. “I can only take that if you are out there protesting against vaccination and masks, that you are on the side of COVID.”