KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. — Right now in Knox County -- Latino residents are currently leading the way in the fight against COVID-19 with the highest vaccine rate among any population group, according to the Knox County Health Department.
The rate is more than 60% -- higher than the rate of white residents, which as of Tuesday sat at 44%.
So how did this community achieve this?
"Let's start this conversation, and not just be like, 'Go to these places,' and not really take care of it. I'm on the call. I'm on the phone, figuring out how are those events going," said Cristina Caceres, Community resources director Centro Hispano.
For Caceres -- starting the conversation means strong outreach through many methods. She said the higher vaccination rate has provided a moment of relief, but they're aware the work must continue.
"It makes me happy, it makes me really happy. Because when we started this process with COVID back in March, what we found was completely the opposite," said Liliana Burbano a public health planner at the Knox County Health Department.
The Latino community was one of the hardest hit communities during the pandemic prior to the vaccine. It's been a boots on the ground effort for them -- also relying on social media --- and making it so the obstacles, whether its transportation or simply having the information, are torn down.
"Understanding those barriers and having that direct contact and trying to come up and figure out and like I said, meet people where they're at," said Caceres.
They said they are not forcing the information down anyone's throat, but are simply setting a starting point.
"We have been developing partnerships -- all that exists in partnership -- just strengthening to be able to still provide those resources," said Caceres.
Their vaccination push is far from over, though, and community and health leaders continue to stress the vaccine is the best way to stop the virus.