Bright Spot Briefing: Standout Communities in the Southern U.S.

As the Delta variant spreads across the country, states with low vaccination rates are quickly becoming COVID-19 “hot spots,” with some states seeing increases as high as 429% in recent weeks. With 43.7% of eligible people in the U.S. still unvaccinated, the country is in the most critical and difficult stage of the effort to stop the spread and reduce severe disease and death –  especially for the most vulnerable communities. Despite ample supply, a highly customized, place-based and community-centered approach to vaccine distribution is critical to continuing to eliminate barriers to vaccine access and readiness.

During this webinar hosted by the Vaccine Equity Cooperative (originally broadcast on July 21st, 2021), three communities in Arizona, Oklahoma and Louisiana shared the best practices and lessons learned on how they overcame barriers and increased vaccination rates in their communities. Panelists highlighted:

• The important role community-based workforces play as trusted messengers in the 1:1 outreach required at this stage in the vaccination effort;
• Partnering with culturally competent community-based organizations and associations;
• Adjusting approaches to bring vaccination sites to the local community.

Presenters 

1. Diana Gomez, Chief Health Officer, Yuma County Public Health Services District
2. Patrick McGough, DNP, Chief Executive Officer, Oklahoma City-County Health Department
3. LaTanja Silvester, Louisiana Director, Resilience Force
4. Monica Valdes Lupi, Managing Director, The Kresge Foundation (Moderator)

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