EverThrive IL is excited to release our Recommendations for Increasing COVID-19 Vaccination Rates Among Black/African American Chicagoans. These recommendations were created based on the input from panelists and participants that attended the COVID-19 Immunization Roundtable Discussion we hosted in partnership with the Chicago Department of Public Health on June 30th. As we move into the next phase of vaccinations for Chicago residents, we plan to use this as a guiding document for additional ways stakeholders can work together to ensure Black/African American Chicagoans have the information and access needed to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters.
There are five main recommendations related to partnerships, messaging and communications, and access. They include:
Partnerships
1. Strengthen the partnership the Chicago Department of Public Health has already established between Chicago Public Schools, Health Care Providers, and Community Based Organizations (CBOs) to continue to utilize schools as a hub for COVID-19 vaccination education and uptake.
Messaging and Communications
2. Increase alignment of COVID-19 messaging across sectors, ensuring educational materials are representative of Black/African American communities and include testimonies from trusted community members.
3. Expand events and tailored messaging toward specific communities or populations.
4. Expand the use of community members as vaccine ambassadors/educators to build trust within communities.
Access
5. Maintain practices that reduce access barriers for each appointment in the vaccine series.
You can read the full recommendations here.
If you missed the Roundtable Discussion on June 30th, presentations and resources are included here:
· CDPH: COVID-19 Data Presentation
· CDPH: Health Equity Zone Impact Presentation
· CDPH: Closing Slides
· CDPH: Vaccination Campaign Toolkit: Infants Under 5 Years Old
· CDPH: Vaccination Campaign Partner Toolkit: Parents of 5-11 Year Olds