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8 HE ALTH • Spring 2021 W hen it comes to connecting vulnerable populations with healthcare services otherwise difficult or impossible to obtain, the Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center in Worcester is well-versed. For 49 years, those running the center and its satellite offices have made it their mission, serving nearly 29,000 patients, 90% of which are low- income, 71% of which belong to minority groups and 30% of which don't have health insurance. Unprecedented times aside, the coronavirus vaccine rollout has been no exception. But one very real challenge unique to vaccine distribution, both in Massachusetts and the rest of the country, has centered around overcoming skepticism and assuaging concerns about the relative safety of inoculation. "Like statistics would tell you – and we talked a lot about this health as a healthcare profession over the last few months – communities of color have had a historic hesitancy to vaccinations like this due to, frankly, a really dark history of testing and experimenting," said Stephen Kerrigan, president and CEO of the Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center. The center has been working to reduce that hesitancy, but it's an ongoing effort, Kerrigan said, noting he doesn't think they've been quite as successful at it as peer institutions. "As soon as we knew vaccines were coming, [there has been an] effort to educate our patients on what it means, the value of getting it," Kerrigan said. "And it continues, by the way, to this day." Demystifying and educating the patient population about the vaccine's safety and efficacy is a multilateral project both in the center and the community, Kerrigan said, noting the • By Monica Busch Two Worcester human service nonprofits work to educate and inoculate their skeptical patient populations against the coronavirus COVID vaccine education Stephen Kerrigan, president and CEO of the Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center PHOTO/MATT WRIGHT First responders receive the COVID vaccine at the Worcester Senior Center in January. Vaccine facts Percent of adults aged 65 and over who had ever received a pneumococcal vaccination 68.9% 68.9% 46.8% Percent of adults aged 18 and over who received an influenza vaccination during the past 12 months. Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control