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(KGET) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched a new Spanish COVID-19 resource on the messaging platform WhatsApp in an attempt to get more Latinos vaccinated. The company said Latinos are a large percentage of their userbase and they hope it will help increase vaccinations among that group.
Through the COVID-19 WhatsApp chat, users will be able to find vaccination sites, free rides to get vaccinated and ask general questions about COVID-19 vaccines. The chats will be in Spanish.
The CDC also partnered with the Biden Administration and the U.S. Department of Health. The company said statewide Latinos account for 63% of COVID-19 cases, but only 29% of vaccinations. There is an 18% difference compared to white Californians.
The company said WhatsApp has been a useful tool for healthcare professionals since the start of the pandemic. Nearly 4 billion messages have been sent across WhatsApp’s COVID helplines since March 2020.
Check out the WhatsApp COVID-19 chat here
