Advancing COVID-19 Vaccination Equity Among the Refugee Community: An Innovative Multi-Sector Collaborative Outreach...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Vaccinology
• Health Equity

Background:

• Underserved populations, including refugees, face barriers to accessing COVID-19 vaccines.
• Multi-sector collaborations can enhance vaccine accessibility and uptake in vulnerable communities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of a multi-sector outreach strategy in improving COVID-19 vaccine access for a refugee community.
• To determine vaccine uptake rates and identify barriers to vaccination among refugees.

Main Methods:

• A four-pronged outreach strategy was implemented to offer COVID-19 vaccine appointments to the local refugee community.
• Data on demographics, prior vaccination status, outreach-scheduled appointments, and vaccination completion were collected.

Main Results:

• Outreach efforts scheduled 312 vaccine appointments, contributing to 895 (67.4%) individuals receiving at least one dose.
• The initial COVID-19 vaccine series completion rate was 63.5%, with 94.2% of those receiving the first dose completing the two-dose series.
• Key reasons for declining vaccination included a desire for physician consultation, pregnancy concerns, and religious observances.

Conclusions:

• The implemented outreach strategy successfully increased COVID-19 vaccine uptake within the refugee community.
• The refugee community's vaccination rate is comparable to the overall US population, highlighting the impact of targeted interventions.
• Recommendations are provided for future equity-informed public health efforts to address disparities in vaccine access.