The U.S. Equity-First Vaccination Initiative: Impacts and Lessons Learned

Laura J Faherty; Jeanne S Ringel; Ashley M Kranz; Lawrence Baker; Brian Phillips; Malcolm V Williams; Lilian Perez; Lucy B Schulson; George Timmins; Allyson D Gittens; Priya Gandhi; Khadesia Howell; Tiwaladeoluwa Adekunle

The U.S. Equity-First Vaccination Initiative: Impacts and Lessons Learned

Rand Health Q. 2023 May 15;10(2):3. eCollection 2023 May.

Authors

Laura J Faherty, Jeanne S Ringel, Ashley M Kranz, Lawrence Baker, Brian Phillips, Malcolm V Williams, Lilian Perez, Lucy B Schulson, George Timmins, Allyson D Gittens, Priya Gandhi, Khadesia Howell, Tiwaladeoluwa Adekunle

PMID: 37200826
PMCID: PMC10187558

Abstract

The one-year U.S. Equity-First Vaccination Initiative (EVI), launched in April 2021, aimed to reduce racial inequities in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination across five demonstration cities (Baltimore, Chicago, Houston, Newark, and Oakland) and over the longer term strengthen the United States' public health system to achieve more-equitable outcomes. This initiative comprised nearly 100 community-based organizations (CBOs), who led hyper-local work to increase vaccination access and confidence in communities of individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. In this study, the second of two on the initiative, the authors examine the results of the EVI. They look at the initiative's activities, effects, and challenges, and provide recommendations for how to support and sustain this hyper-local community-led approach and strengthen the public health system in the United States.

Keywords: Community Health and Well-Being; Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19); Health Equity; Public Health; Racial Equity; Vaccination.