Statement from Fiona Ma, CPA California State Treasurer
Sacramento- It’s been a tough year and I applaud Governor Gavin Newsom’s leadership in navigating us through this pandemic.
I was born with Hepatitis B. Since 2007 I have been on the frontlines breaking the stigma and asking our Asian Pacific Islander (API) communities to get tested and vaccinated.
Similarly regarding the COVID vaccine, there has been a lot of misconceptions and questions however this vaccine is the first step to recovery so we can begin returning to normal.
The vaccine is safe, effective, and serves as the best line of defense against COVID-19. All essential health care workers who have not yet received the vaccine are highly encouraged to get vaccinated during this initial phase. In the coming months, when the vaccine becomes more widely available to the public, anyone who is able to should get vaccinated.
Chinese Hospital has doctors and experts that can help answer your questions in your native language.
Don’t be afraid to ask so you are well informed of what to expect from the vaccine. Educational materials are also available in Chinese on the CDC website or through Chinese Hospital.
The vaccine will be no cost to you through your insurance or a government program for the uninsured. Our safety and our economy depends on us all doing our part to protect our loved ones and one another.
Thank you!
Fiona is married to Jason Hodge, a Ventura County firefighter. As an essential worker, he will receive his first COVID vaccination on January 4, 2021.
The State Treasurer’s Office is the State’s Banker and has been “open for business” every work day since the Governor’s Stay-at-Home order was issued on March 16, 2020 and deemed an essential government agency.
About SF Hep B Free:
Fiona Ma is co-founder and leading spokesperson of the SF Hep B Free Campaign. Since 2007, Former SF Mayor and now Governor Gavin Newsom and State Treasurer Fiona Ma have lead the effort with more than 50 healthcare and Asian Pacific Islander (API) organizations. It is the largest, most intensive healthcare campaign for Asian and Pacific Islanders in the U.S.
1 in 12 API’s was born with or contracted Hepatitis B which is a serious disease responsible for 80% of all liver cancers among APIs. APIs have the highest risk of Hepatitis B of any ethnic group. San Francisco Bay Area has the highest liver cancer rate in the nation.
Visit https://www.sfhepbfree.org/about-us and https://www.sfhepbfree.org/about-us
Fiona Ma is California’s 34th State Treasurer. She was elected on November 6, 2018 with more votes (7,825,587) than any other candidate for treasurer in the state’s history. She is the first woman of color and the first woman Certified Public Accountant (CPA) elected to the position. The State Treasurer’s Office was created in the California Constitution in 1849. It provides financing for schools, roads, housing, recycling and waste management, hospitals, public facilities, and other crucial infrastructure projects that better the lives of residents.
California is the world’s fifth-largest economy and Treasurer Ma is the state’s primary banker. Her office processes more than $2 trillion in transactions within a typical year. She provides transparency and oversight for the government’s investment portfolio and accounts, as well as for the state’s surplus funds.
Treasurer Ma oversees an investment portfolio of about $103 billion, $32.2 billion of which are local government funds. She serves as agent of sale for all State bonds, and is trustee on outstanding debt of $93 billion.
