Mobile Health and Wellness Project: A binational collaboration of frontline health services to the Latino population in the United States in times of COVID-19

Mobilizing COVID-19 Vaccination Partnerships for Newcomer Refugees and Immigrants in the Calgary, Canada Area, 2021-2022

The COVID-19 public health emergency challenged the capacity for public health systems to vaccinate newcomer refugees and immigrants in the Calgary, Canada, area. In response, community-health partnerships emerged in 2021-2022 to provide accessible, culturally responsive, and adapted services for community members. This research highlights community mobilization and partnerships' role in COVID-19 vaccine delivery for newcomer refugees and immigrants, including challenges faced and lessons learned. Researchers conducted structured interviews with Government Assisted Refugees (GARs), and semi-structured interviews with Privately Sponsored Refugees (PSRs), private refugee sponsors, and diverse health and community informants involved in COVID-19 vaccine responses. Thematic analysis highlighted themes related to partnership development, strategies and actions of partnerships, alignment with World Health Organization recommendations, and partnership benefits and challenges. Multiple newcomer-specific vaccination models were developed through various community-based partnerships. The roles of community partners included information translation and transmission, outreach, and advocacy. Partnerships faced challenges, including existing infrastructure and inequitable policies for COVID-19 vaccine distribution. These existing elements required substantial advocacy to be more equitable in their outcomes. This research highlights how gaps in the public health system during early vaccination efforts catalyzed communities to mobilize and drove the creation of community-health partnerships in the Calgary area. These partnerships were effective at facilitating vaccine uptake through innovative, community-informed and culturally-responsive approaches. A key concern remains that, despite learnings and changes to COVID-19 vaccination systems, the health system has not sufficiently integrated changes to address equity in the long term.

Reaching Diverse Communities During a Local Public Health COVID-19 Vaccination Response Through a Mobile Clinic Compared to Mass Vaccination Sites

During the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, local public health agencies were responsible for vaccinating a wide variety of communities. Dakota County Public Health (Dakota County, Minnesota) implemented a program that offered COVID-19 vaccines in a variety of settings, such as county public health buildings, community sites, in-home, mass vaccination clinics, and a mobile clinic unit. The purpose of this analysis is to compare the demographics of vaccinations administered at Dakota County COVID-19 vaccination clinics based on clinic site. More than half (52.5%) of vaccinations administered at mobile clinic sites were administered to Hispanic or Latino clients, while at the mass vaccination clinic site, 5.4% of vaccinations were administered to Hispanic or Latino clients. In addition, 59.6% of in-home vaccinations were administered to adults 65 years and older. Offering COVID-19 vaccination clinics in a variety of clinic settings strategically throughout the community helped increase vaccine reach to diverse communities.