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Throughout the pandemic, Richmond has been known for having one of the lowest COVID-19 infection rates in the province, but earlier this month it also had the lowest vaccination rate.
That has changed recently thanks to a concerted effort on the part of public health officials and the City of Richmond. However as of June 14, 79 per cent of adults in Richmond aged 50 and up had received one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while that number was in the 80s in most other areas in the Lower Mainland, according to data from the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC).
Andy Yan, director of the City Program at Simon Fraser University, said language and media consumption are part of the reason.
Health authorities did try to push formal messages in Chinese languages to the local community, but more needs to be done, he explained.
For example, Yan said his mother is exposed predominantly to Chinese social media, where false vaccine information can circulate.
One WeChat headline recently posted reads (in translation): “Bad news! A man passed away after the first COVID vaccine dose,” with a subhead, “If he hadn’t taken the shot, he would still be alive.”
There are anti-vaxxer stories on other social media as well, but for English speakers, this is countered by pro-vaccine stories dominant in the mainstream media.
Understanding how and what media certain cultural groups are consuming, “seems to be the missing element here,” said Yan.
Pushing translated messages is helpful, but health officials also need to ensure these messages adapt well to the specific community they’re targeting, Yan added.
Certain grassroots organizations could help health officials do that since they are well-connected in the community and know their audiences. Building trust and listening to people’s concerns is essential, said Yan.
But while steps can be taken to address vaccine hesitancy, they require resources, Yan noted.
“I know plenty of health officials understand those needs, but they need resources to do these types of initiatives. They need to find specialists to deal with these language needs,” said Yan.
Regardless, the vaccination rates in Richmond is catching up to other cities, according to the latest data from BCCDC.
As of June 22, coverage for adults aged 50 and older was:
Broadmoor: 72%
Blundell: 73%
Richmond city centre: 74%
Thompson/Seafair: 75%
East/West Cambie/Bridgeport: 77%
Gilmore/Shellmont/East/Hamilton: 78%
Steveston: 82%
For comparison:
UBC: 71%
Oakridge/Marpole (Vancouver): 74%
Shaughnessy/Arbutus/Kerrisdale (Vancouver): 76%
South Surrey: 79%
North Delta: 80%
Killarney (Vancouver): 80%
Panorama: 81%
Ladner: 84%
Tsawwassen: 84%
--With files from Maria Rantanen
