U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal, far left, and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, far right, pose with Filemon Atilano, a local farmworker, after a roundtable discussion Wednesday at the Community Health Centers Headquarters in Santa Maria. Mr. Atilano told his story of struggling to recover from COVID-19 and the continuing impact the virus has had on his health. Secretary Becerra and Rep. Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, used Wednesday’s event to emphasize the importance of getting vaccinations. Others attending the event included representatives of the Community Health Centers of the Central Coast, Dignity Health, Marion Regional Health Center, the Grower Shipper Association of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties, and the Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project. In addition to the roundtable discussion, Secretary Becerra toured a local health clinic. To learn about COVID-19 vaccines, go to vaccines.gov or call 800-232-0233.
