The Latino community accounts for 52.1% percent of coronavirus cases in California, and with the omicron variant on track to become the dominant strain by next year, the numbers will only continue to climb.

Right now Latino community leaders are fighting the spread of the virus along with the spread of misinformation about vaccines.

“As we try to fight and encourage people to get the vaccine, the people that are interested in not getting the vaccine out are getting more and more information in the networks,” said Dr. America Bracho, CEO of Latino Health Access.

Bracho told “Inside the Issues” host Alex Cohen, many Latino families living in America still get their news from their home countries. There’s also heavy reliance on social media including platforms like Facebook messenger and WhatsApp, all hard to police.

“Our community is not anti-vax” she said. Instead they are hesitant because of the misinformation they consume.

“We need to be proactive….a lot of groups are being reactive,” Bracho said.

Bracho told Cohen the best way to fight misinformation is with the truth, and the best way to spread the truth is by going out into the streets and having conversations with people.

“I believe in human networks,” she said.

The NALEO Educational Fund is a group helping fight misinformation with a new reporting tool. They are asking people to send in screenshots or videos to this number: (818) 873-5023.

“The more people that get the truth, the more will screenshot and send it back,” Bracho said.

As we head into 2022 and the virus continues to mutate, misinformation will continue to adapt as well.

Bracho said it’s up to the community to spread the truth and, “we need every mom, every dad, every kid to fight.”

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