Increasing vaccine uptake in a refugee resettlement community with high social vulnerability

Impacted by the trauma of forced migration and resettlement, refugee, immigrant, and migrant (RIM) communities often have higher levels of social vulnerability and lower vaccination rates. The Georgia State University Prevention Research Center (PRC) collaborated with community organizations, residents, clinicians, and elected officials in the refugee resettlement community of Clarkston, GA to address community health needs before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. This collaborative team cultivated community trust and developed strategies to address COVID-19 prevention and vaccine hesitation, including establishing a task force, disseminating culturally and linguistically responsive, factual COVID-19 materials, employing culturally representative vaccine ambassadors, creating an ad campaign promoting vaccination, and holding local vaccination events. Clarkston's COVID-19 vaccination rates surpassed those of other local areas of high social vulnerability by 20 percentage points. These results suggest multifaceted, targeted vaccine promotion efforts can enhance vaccine uptake and possibly other public health priorities in disadvantaged, diverse, and vulnerable communities.