February 25, 2021
by Dan Lemle
The race to vaccinate as many people as possible is helping turn the tide on the COVID-19 pandemic. But while these efforts ramp up across the country, people of color and other underserved populations continue to be vaccinated at lower rates despite being disproportionately impacted by the virus.
Serving as trusted community partners, members of the Alliance of Community Health Plans (ACHP) are prioritizing timely and targeted outreach to and vaccinations of the most at-risk populations:
- HealthPartners is collaborating with stakeholder groups to amplify voices of trusted physicians of color and share important public health messages in local media outlets and across social media. Personalized clinician outreach to underserved populations is also encouraging vaccination and helping address barriers
- As part of an ongoing series, Spectrum Health is educating and encouraging vaccine confidence in minority communities through public virtual panel discussions with health care workers and activists
- UPMC is partnering with community organizations to identify seniors in minority populations who are looking to schedule vaccination appointments
- The Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation and Tufts Health Plan Foundation are expanding vaccine education, awareness and outreach to communities of color through a $1 million donation to 42 organizations across the northeast
A recent letter to the Biden Administration COVID-19 Equity Task Force highlights additional on-the-ground efforts of ACHP member plans in communities across the nation.
Equal access to vaccinations is imperative for defeating this virus. Rooted in the communities they serve, ACHP members are acting quickly to ensure an equitable and effective vaccine rollout for all members they serve.
Additional information on efforts of ACHP plans and their affiliated systems during this public health crisis is available here.
