On January 26, it was publicly brought to light that the San Benito Health Foundation (SBHF) was skipping Tier 1A eligible COVID-19 vaccine recipients in order to vaccinate friends, family and business associates that were not eligible within the tier. Excluded were the many Farmworkers and Migrant Workers that they serve and claim to prioritize. 

The CEO, Rosa Vivian Fernandez, of the Health Foundation has close ties to San Juan Bautista Rotary Club and several members of the club have received the vaccine out of turn, some also serve on the Health Foundation’s board. She made the decision TO offer these vaccines to business members and others who DID NOT QUALIFY allowing them to JUMP THE LINE despite THIS being against State MANDATED POLICY and protocol, leaving the most vulnerable in our community without access. She said that it is the Foundation’s mission to care for farmworkers and migrants however neither were included in her vaccinations outside of tier.

To date Ms Fernandez has claimed varying stories about who was, in fact vaccinated, however the fact remains that NONE of the "VIPs" on her list were eligible to receive the vaccine according to published STATE POLICY and she DID NOT seek direction from the San Benito County Public Health Department.

The SBHF exists to serve our most vulnerable populations including migrant workers, homeless, low income and seniors, many of who are themselves frontline workers.  

We demand a full accounting of the actions and for the Foundation Board and State officials to remove the CEO from her position in the Health Foundation immediately. The public trust has been broken and this community cannot move forward until there is new leadership.