Natividad receives award for COVID-19 response

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) Natividad has received an award from the California Association of Public Hospitals and the California Health Care Safety Net Institute for its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The hospital's entry for the 2020 CAPH/SNI Quality Leaders Award titled "Natividad's Action Plan for Caring for Communities in Crises & Beyond: Meeting Underserved and Vulnerable Populations Where They are During the COVID-19 Pandemic" won special recognition for the COVID-19 response category, one that was added this year to recognize contributions to communities.

Natividad said it has used its resources during the pandemic for education and outreach to prevent the spread of the virus, especially since disadvantaged communities and communities of color have been disproportionately affected and face barriers to receiving accurate and timely information.

The hospital said it began working to communicate with agricultural workers and others with higher risk in Monterey County back in February.

“At the beginning of the pandemic, there was very little information available in Spanish and none in indigenous languages spoken in Latin America,” Dr. Erika Romero said. “We quickly realized the need to help educate people in their primary language and give them accurate information about COVID-19 so they could be empowered to act, receive health care and prevent the spread of the disease.”

Since the start of the pandemic, the hospital has worked with the Natividad Foundation to produce materials in Spanish, Triqui, Zapoteco, Mixteco and English, including announcements about COVID-19 and the Shelter in Place Order. The foundation also provided 5,000 reusable face coverings to agricultural workers, interpreters for outreach and virtual visiting technology.