CHULA VISTA, Calif. — A local Hispanic doctor who was among the first to get the COVID-19 vaccine in San Diego County is encouraging patients in his community to trust science.
More Hispanics and Latinos are dying from the virus than other ethnic group in the county for a number of complex reasons, including pre-existing conditions, fear of doctors and access to healthcare.
“I'm very excited to portray and this is an honor of being a Mexican physician that carried the flag,” said Dr. Andres Smith of Sharp Chula Vista E.R. Director.
The Sharp Chula Vista doctor said he felt very few side effects from the Pfizer vaccine he received Friday.
“Very little swelling, very little pain for a few hours,” said Smith.
He lives in San Diego ,but was born in Tijuana and serves as the American Red Cross president in Tijuana. His family is skeptical of the vaccine and was nervous for him.
“There are a lot of myths going on, especially in the Latino community that you are going to get a chip in your body, you're going to get some transformation of your body. That is not true,” said Smith.
He personally knows the importance of getting the vaccine and so do his colleagues, who are lining up to be vaccinated.
The night the hospital asked him to be vaccinated, Smith filled in for an E.R. doctor who was infected with COVID-19.
“I think it conveyed that we want to be vaccinated. We as physicians are emotionally and physically tired of this pandemic,” said Smith.
Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center has been overwhelmed with COVID-19 cases. Many of the patients they treat are Latinos, Hispanics and African Americans. Pre-existing conditions make them higher risk and those groups have been hit the hardest by the virus. The county reports Hispanic and Latinos make up 57.8% of positive cases, 56.8% hospitalizations and 47.8% deaths.
“As a Mexican physician, my message is for people to trust the vaccine,” said Smith.
He said he will continue to send that message of trust to his community.
“If I can save one individual by getting the vaccine, I did my job,” said Smith.
Research on the vaccine is evolving. To learn more about the vaccine text the News 8 newsroom at (858) 571-8888.