SAN DIEGO (CNS) - A national public health group is honoring San Diego County for its response to the coronavirus pandemic, it was announced Thursday.
The National Association of County and City Health Officials gave the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency one gold award, one silver award, two bronze awards and an honorable mention, according to the county agency.
The gold award recognized the health agency's outreach to more than 400 health care providers to give them the timely information they needed to connect patients with vaccinations, testing, education resources and COVID-19 treatment. This effort contributed to reducing racial and socioeconomic disparities in how COVID-19 affected various communities.
Across the country, people of color and low-income communities were hit hardest by the virus.
San Diego County was also praised for developing teams of experts who communicated specific information about COVID-19 to businesses, faith organizations, schools, the military, service providers for people experiencing homelessness and others. This effort strengthened communication with the county and among these groups.
The county received additional recognition for its hygiene kit distribution; cross-border communication and collaboration; sharing of data and equipment with agencies in Mexico; and efforts to communicate about COVID-19 directly with communities of color through traditional advertising and promotion, home visits, phone calls and social media.