January 23, 2021

Language barriers, wariness make vaccinating immigrants hard

Poor communication, misinformation and lack of trust create fear and uncertainty

Immigrants picking vegetables spot
AZPM

Advocacy groups are warning that immigrants may be some of the most difficult people to reach during the largest vaccination campaign in American history.

Some immigrants in the country illegally fear that information taken during vaccinations could be turned over to authorities and so may not seek out vaccines, while those who speak little or no English may find it difficult to access shots.

These challenges are particularly worrying for Latino immigrants, who make a large portion of the workforce in industries where they have a significant risk of exposure.

To tackle these challenges, advocacy groups are heading into farm fields to bring vaccines and information to migrant laborers and trying to counter misinformation in Spanish and other languages.

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