COVID-19 vaccine push comes to Latino communities

TAMPA, Fla. - Visitors to Funlan Swap Shop on Hillsborough Avenue may have gotten more than they bargained for Friday, with a visit from "Esperanza, Hope for All," a national vaccine educational effort sponsored by UnidosUS and Walgreens.

Staffers spoke to shoppers in English and Spanish about the importance of being vaccinated against COVID-19, especially now that cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are spiking because of the delta variant.

"The Latino community in the U.S. has been disproportionately affected by the COVID pandemic," Joanna Kuttothara, a spokesperson for UnidosUS, said on a call from Washington, D.C. "More than 23% of the hospitalizations have been Latinos in this country."

They tried to quell people’s fears and correct misinformation, then suggested that they go to a nearby Walgreens where they could get a free shot.

"We are converting people one person at a time, and one family at a time," commented Angela Kim, a staffer.

On Saturday, the tour will move to Lakeland, where the tent will be set up at the Silver Moon Drive-In from 5 a.m. to noon.