MADISON, Wis. — Getting trusted information out about COVID-19 and the vaccine is key to moving forward from the pandemic.

However, this is easier said than done in some Wisconsin communities. That is why UW Health’s Dr. Patricia Tellez-Giron is helping to make a difference in Spanish-speaking neighborhoods in Dane County. She is also co-chair of the Latino Health Council, which has been working on COVID-19 initiatives like vaccine education for nearly a year now. 

“We provide resources for the Latino community like radio programming, free social media Q & A sessions, and interpreters to help educate people about COVID,” Tellez-Giron said. “They have questions like, ‘What if I don’t have insurance, what if I am undocumented, how am I going to get? If I get it, are they going to call immigration? What if they don’t speak Spanish when I go there? What if they discriminate against me?’”

Tellez-Giron said that people should first go to their local health provider and reminded that the vaccine is free, and they will never ask for your documentation status. Those without a local health provider can go to their local health department. 

Tellez-Giron stressed, “The vaccine is for everyone, regardless of your race or your documentation status or your insurance status.”

If you would like to learn more about resources available for the Latino community, click here.