COVID-19 vaccines by demographics: 4 questions answered Share Updated: 10:20 AM PST Feb 16, 2021 Brittany Johnson Share Updated: 10:20 AM PST Feb 16, 2021 Hide Transcript Show Transcript WITH HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET FOR WEEKS. KCRA 3 INVESTIGATES BRITTANY JOHNSON JOINS US LIVE WITH MORE ON WHAT THE DATA TELLS US, BRITTANY? BRITTANY: THE DATA TELLS US WHO IS GETTING VACCINATED BY RACE AND ETHNICITY, AGE AND GENDER. TAKE A LOOK, IF YOU GO TO COVID19.CA.GOV, YOU SEE THE INFORMATION BROKEN DOWN. IT IS NOT REQUIRED TO INCLUDE THIS INFORMATION ABOUT YOURSELF IN ORDER TO GET A COVID-19 VACCINE, ACCORDING TO THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH. A SPOKESPERSON WITH THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT SAYS ONLY 10% OF PEOPLE HAVE DECLINED TO PROVIDE THIS DATA. ALTHOUGH IT’S NOT MANDATORY, ONE DOCTOR I SPOKE WITH AT UC DAVIS HEALTH, SAYS WHEN PEOPLE INCLUDE THEIR DEMOGRAPHICS, IT’S HELPFUL. HE ALSO ADDS, THE INFORMATION IS KEPT CONFIDENTIAL. >>HAVING THESE DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT, AS I SAID, TO BE ABLE TO TARGET CERTAIN GROUPS IF WE’RE NOT SEEING ENOUGH VACCINE UPTAKE. THAT COULD BE FOR LOTS OF REASONS, ONE OF WHICH WOULD BE JUST THE AVAILABILITY OF VACCINATION SITES AND DOSES OF VACCINE. IT COULD ALSO BE BECAUSE OF VACCINE HESITANCY. WE DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN ETHNIC AND RACIAL SUBGROUPS WHERE THERE HAVE BEEN MORE CHALLENGES IN KIND OF OVERCOMING THIS VACCINE HESITANCY. SO THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO THEN CALIBRATE OUR OUR TARGETED EFFORTS TO TRY TO OVERCOME THOSE THOSE DISPARITIES. BRITTANY: DR. POLLOCK SAYS IT’S IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS DATA DOES NOT REPRESENT WHAT THE OVERALL POPULATION LOOKS LIKE HERE IN CALIFORNIA. THE INITIAL DATA LARGELY COMES FROM HEALTHCARE WORKERS AND FIRST RESPONDERS. THE FIRST GROUPS OF PEOPLE TO