Santa Clara Co. brings vaccine to soccer fans at PayPal Park to help reach hard-hit community
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- There was a sold out crowd to PayPal Park on Wednesday night.
Stadium officials said 18,000 people were expected to attend the first international event since the state reopened.
RELATED: SJ reaches 85% vaccination rate for 1st doses; here's what that means for herd immunity
The match between Club America and Atlas F.C. was made even more significant as the Santa Clara County Public Health Department was able to reach the hardest hit community.
Public health officials offered a mobile vaccine pop-up clinic with the message, "Let's Get to Immunity."
"We have been struggling to get people vaccinated, especially in the LatinX community," Ricardo Romero, the Lead Public Information Officer with the County of Santa Clara said. "We still have about 40-percent of the population in the Latino community who haven't been vaccinated, and today we're seeing hundreds of people here."
VIDEO: New health order requires vaccine status of workers in Santa Clara Co.
According to the county's demographics dashboard, Latinos make up 50-percent of cases. The pop-up clinic at PayPal Park offered convenience and the COVID-19 vaccine.
"I was just walking through. They told me, 'If you get vaccinated, we'll give you tickets,' I'm like, why not," Jose A. Esquibel told ABC7 News. "I've been trying to get vaccinated for a while. I've just been busy working, but I'm at the right place at the right time."
Dr. Gerardo Solorio Cortes with Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in Gilroy added, "This is just an example of getting into a sport that's very popular in the LatinX community. Getting the people here and offering them the vaccine right next to the stadium... That's awesome!"
RELATED: Santa Clara Co. health officials urge young people to get COVID-19 vaccine
He explained this is just another avenue of outreach that has proven to be effective. It is also one of many vaccine efforts by the county, to beat COVID-19.
"I'm very proud to live in a county where we were so proactive in facing the pandemic," Dr. Solorio Cortes shared. "Treating patients- and now vaccinating as many people as we can."
For soccer fan Esquibel, the ultimate goal was to finally get his vaccination. He said scoring two free tickets was the "game changer."
For Santa Clara County vaccination information, click here.
Having trouble loading the tracker above? Click here to open it in a new window. RELATED STORIES & VIDEOS:
- Map shows which counties can, can't reopen under reopening tiers
- Cheat sheet: What you can and can't do after being fully vaccinated
- How to register for a COVID-19 vaccine in every Bay Area county
- Map shows everywhere you can get a COVID-19 test in the Bay Area
- Interactive map shows what's closed and what's reopening in the San Francisco Bay Area
- Data tracker: Coronavirus cases, deaths, hospitalizations in every Bay Area county
- Third stimulus check calculator: See how much you could get
- COVID-19 Diaries: Personal stories of Bay Area residents during pandemic
- Get the latest updates on California EDD, stimulus checks, unemployment benefits
- Coronavirus origin: Where did COVID-19 come from?
- What is a COVID-19 genetic, antigen and antibody test?
- What does COVID-19 do to your body and why does it spread so easily?
- Coronavirus Timeline: Tracking major moments of COVID-19 pandemic in San Francisco Bay Area
- Coronavirus Doctor's Note: Dr. Alok Patel gives his insight into COVID-19 pandemic
