Getting shots to vulnerable communities: Kaiser Permanente grants

Kaiser Permanente Redwood City is increasing access to the COVID-19 vaccine through key partnerships with local community and government organizations as part of an effort to vaccinate priority populations and those most affected by the pandemic.

By working to remove barriers to vaccinations, Kaiser Permanente Redwood City is helping to ensure people have convenient access to the vaccine, particularly within neighborhoods and underserved communities. Kaiser Permanente is providing strategic support to community organizations to increase vaccination rates and is enlisting trusted messengers in the community to deliver information about vaccine safety and effectiveness. Kaiser Permanente physician experts are also speaking to community groups to build confidence in the vaccine and address vaccination equity gaps.

Kaiser Permanente has invested $5 million in Northern California to support the equitable roll out of vaccine in the communities we serve. In the Redwood City service area, more than $285,000 is supporting the following vaccination efforts:

· Coastside Hope - a safety-net, housing, and immigration services agency on the San Mateo County coast will provide support staff, technology and registration assistance for pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinics.

• Nuestra Casa de East Palo Alto - a community-building agency for Latinx families will outreach to vulnerable populations and provide space for pop-up vaccine clinics.

· Redwood City Together - a collaborative of community organizations serving Redwood City and North Fair Oaks will link the community to educational events, vaccine outreach, and pop-up vaccination clinics.

“With the Kaiser Permanente grant, we’ve been able to do strong outreach,” said Rafael Avendaño, MA,

Executive Director, Redwood City Together. “As a trusted messenger in the community, the Kaiser Permanente grant has helped us to connect with youth, vulnerable populations, and Spanish speakers to increase COVID-19 vaccinations.”

White and higher-income Americans are more likely to have received a vaccine than African American, Hispanic, and lower-income groups.

A recent study by the independent Kaiser Family Foundation (not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente) found one-third of unvaccinated Hispanic adults say they want a vaccine as soon as possible, about twice as many as unvaccinated Black and White adults. However, Hispanics also report more barriers to getting vaccinated including fears about missing work, not being able to get the vaccine from a trusted place or difficulty traveling to a vaccination site.

Kaiser Permanente Northern California is committed to increasing vaccination rates by hosting town halls to dispel vaccine myths and educate the community on the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine, working with faith-based organizations to raise awareness about the vaccine and to provide access to vaccinations in homeless encampments, hard-to-reach neighborhoods and senior populations with barriers to getting vaccinated.

Kaiser Permanente’s approach to the allocation of COVID-19 vaccine is consistent with the organization’s strong legacy of championing diversity, equity, and inclusion.

“We are committed to removing barriers to vaccination, so everyone has access to the vaccine in a timely manner,” said Sheila Gilson, senior vice president and area manager for Kaiser Permanente’s Redwood City service area. “We are proud to be working with our community partners to focus on the equitable distribution of vaccine.”