On December 14, 2020, the first COVID-19 vaccine was administered under U.S. FDA Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) in the United States. Since then, 47% of the eligible U.S. population has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and 55.2% have received at least one dose of a vaccine. Unfortunately, vaccine confidence and other roadblocks have continued to slow down vaccination efforts in the U.S. and endeavors to reaccelerate administration of doses have faced several challenges. Recently, the African American Research Collaborative (AARC) conducted a nationwide poll of the largest-yet sample of African American, Latinos, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans on how these communities are viewing the COVID-19 vaccines. The survey findings reveal that discrimination, location, and messaging continue to be factors that influence whether someone will choose to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. This briefing discussed the results of this survey, their importance, and explored potential strategies to increase vaccination rates, particularly ones tailored to different populations.
Speakers:
- Rhea Boyd, M.D., MPH, Pediatrician and Child Health Advocate, Palo Alto Medical Foundation
- Henry Fernandez, J.D., Chief Executive Officer, African American Research Collaborative
- Erin Hemlin, M.A., Director of Health Policy and Advocacy, Young Invincibles
- Lauren Rauh, MPH, Senior Program Manager, Convince USA
- Rachel Nuzum, MPH, Vice President, Federal and State Health Policy, Commonwealth Fund (moderator)