撰文：加州州长纽森
尽管加州在对抗新冠疫情上有所进展，我们仍未走出困境。社区中有太多人还未接种新冠疫苗，他们将自己和其他无法接种疫苗的人置于危险之中。现在，我们面对的是传染性更高的Delta变种病毒，接种疫苗变得比以往任何时候都更加重要，只有如此，我们才能结束这场疫情。
这些安全、高效力的疫苗提供绝佳的保护力，防止人们因为感染Delta和其他已知变种病毒出现重症、住院和死亡。目前，有80%符合接种资格的加州居民已至少接种一剂疫苗，我们将继续致力缩小未接种疫苗者与他们的差距。
我们看到数百名未接种疫苗者被送进加护病房，不幸的是，有些人可能永远无法走出医院。加州绝大部分的确诊病例都发生在未接种疫苗者身上，随着确诊率、住院率和死亡率攀升，我们会继续努力说服受疫情影响最严重的社区接种疫苗。
这个状况再真实不过，加州的Delta变种病毒疫情正处于关键时刻。 Delta变种病毒极具传染性，传播力比原始新冠病毒株高出60%，已成为加州最主要传播的病毒。除非更多民众接种疫苗，否则，接触和感染新冠病毒及其变种病毒的风险将一直存在。我们必须遵循科学，现在就完成终结这场疫情的工作。
很不幸，我们看到许多最弱势的低疫苗接种率社区成为虚假讯息的宣传目标，这些虚假讯息不断把宝贵的生命置于险境。透过和少数族裔媒体、宗教团体、社区组织和许多值得信赖的特殊伙伴合作，对于消除坊间一些最广泛流传的迷思至关重要。无论您的移民身份为何，现在是充分接受「免费疫苗不但有效而且安全」这项事实的时候。
好消息是，在我们与社区合作把疫苗的安全性和有效性资讯分享给民众后，已经有愈来愈多加州居民选择接种疫苗。我们也持续与雇主密切合作，让他们的雇员可以更方便接种免费疫苗，例如在职场设置快闪疫苗门诊、提供关于新冠「补助有薪病假」（Supplemental Paid Sick Leave）的资讯。新冠补助有薪病假的适用情况包括：前往接种疫苗和因为接种疫苗后出现副作用无法工作等。我们不能也不会松懈，只要我们的首要任务仍然是让社区更安全、发展我们的经济、确保我们的孩子成长茁壮，我们的疫苗宣导工作就会持续下去。
我们提高受新冠疫情重创社区疫苗接种率的工作，与我们协助加州居民维持生计和提供家人所需的承诺一致。您可以上网covid19.ca.gov或拨打新冠热线833-422-4255，使用您熟悉的语言了解像租金援助和逼迁保护等计划的内容。此外，年收入低于7万5000元的家庭还可以领取加州纾困金（Golden State Stimulus）。无论移民身份为何，这些资源正等待所有有需要的民众使用，再加上疫苗，社区的安全和健康就有保障。
每位加州居民都必须了解接种疫苗的重要性，不仅是为了他们的健康、家人的健康，也是为了整个加州的健康，我们希望还未接种疫苗的人能尽快做出正确的决定，让我们一起终结这场疫情。
英文版如下：
On the Record with Governor Gavin Newsom: Choosing not to be vaccinated puts others at risk
By Governor Gavin Newsom
Despite California’s progress against COVID-19, we’re not out of the woods yet – too many folksin our communities remain unvaccinated, putting themselves and others who can’t get the vaccine at risk. Now, we’re facing the more contagious Delta variant. It’s more important than ever to get vaccinated – it’s how we end this pandemic.
These safe and highly effective vaccines provide excellent protection from severe illness,
hospitalization and death, including from the Delta and other known variants. With 80 percent of eligible Californians having received at least one dose, our work continues to close the gap of those who remain unvaccinated.
We are seeing hundreds of unvaccinated people being admitted to ICUs, and unfortunately, some may never leave those hospitals. The vast majority of COVID-19 cases in California have occurred in unvaccinated people. As case rates, hospitalization rates and death rates increase, our efforts to reach the most impacted communities will continue.
This situation is very real. California is at a critical point with the Delta variant. It is extremely contagious – over 60 percent more transmissible than the original COVID-19 strain – and has become the dominant strain circulating in the state. The risk for exposure and infection from COVID-19 and its variants will remain until more people get vaccinated. We need to follow the science and finish the job to end this pandemic now.
Unfortunately, many of our most vulnerable communities where we are seeing low vaccination rates are targets of disinformation campaigns, which continue to put lives at risk, including our youngest children who are not yet eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Working with ethnic media, faith-based and community-based organizations, and many unique partners who are trusted messengers has been crucial to dispelling some of the most prevalent myths out there. It’s time to fully embrace the facts that prove vaccines work, are safe, and are free – regardless of immigration status.
There is some good news. As we work with communities to share information on vaccine safety and efficacy, an increasing number of Californians are choosing to get vaccinated.
We’re continuing to work closely with employers to make the free vaccines more accessible to their employees, opening pop-up clinics at workplaces and providing information on COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave, which may be used for a vaccine appointment or if someone cannot work or telework due to vaccine-related side effects. We cannot and will not let up.
Our vaccine outreach will continue as our priority remains to make our communities safer, grow our economy and ensure our kids can thrive.
Our work to increase vaccination rates in communities hit hardest by COVID-19 is matched by our commitment to help Californians make ends meet and provide for their families.
By going to covid19.ca.gov or calling the COVID-19 hotline, 833-422-4255, you can find information in-language about programs like rent relief and eviction protection.
In addition, the Golden State Stimulus can put money in the pockets of families making $75,000 or less. These resources are in place for all Californians who need them, regardless of immigration status, and together vaccines can help keep our communities safe and healthy.
Every Californian needs to know how critical it is that they get vaccinated – for their health, the health of their family, and the health of California as a whole. We are counting on those not yet vaccinated to make the right decision. And soon. Together, we can end this pandemic.
（Solsken 供稿）
