The Health Foundation of Central Mass

64 I n early 2020, health officials around the world began to warn of a poten- tial pandemic as a mysterious, novel virus spread across the world. e World Health Organization officially declared the COVID-19 pandemic and public health emergency on March 11, 2020, a day aer Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker announced a state of emergency because of rising cases and concerns. It was initially expected the pandemic would be short- lived, but it soon became apparent that this deadly virus would linger for an undeter- mined amount of time and affect many corners of the world. e world reacted quickly to the pan- demic. Airplanes were grounded, and sci- entific, sporting, and cultural events were canceled. Factories and businesses stopped operations. Where feasible, many com- panies opted to allow employees to work from home. e pandemic led to global isolation and set the stage for adverse effects on the economy. Schools closed, religious services were suspended, and large gatherings halted. e Boston Marathon and Worcester's Saint Patrick's Day parade were canceled. Hospital admissions soared as more and more people manifested symptoms. To ac- commodate the overflow, the city convert- ed the DCU Center into a field hospital, and personal protective equipment (PPE) became the order of the day. By April 2020, Worcester was reporting an average of 65 COVID-19 cases a day. First responders and hospital staff worked overtime as the infection spread. With numbers of sick and dying rising sharply, the race was on to create a vaccine that would stop the spread of the danger- ous virus. By December 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued the first emergency use authorization for a COVID-19 vaccine for peoples aged 16 years and older. Other vaccines followed. ey proved to be effective in reducing the death toll and severity of symptoms for many people. However, convincing certain segments of the population to receive the potentially life-saving vaccine was challenging. Conspiracy theories and other misinfor- mation were perpetuated on social media. Many people felt the vaccine was unneces- sary and doubted its effectiveness and safe- ty. Others feared side effects or mistrusted clinical trials. In some cases, hesitancy resulted from religious beliefs, political ideology, or a history of poor treatment by medical professionals. Studies showed that Black and Latin-x individuals, those younger than 45 years of age, and socially disadvantaged commu- nities were most hesitant to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Knowing that COVID-19 vaccines were under development and that it would be important to lay the groundwork to enable a successful vaccination campaign when they became available, e Health Foun- dation of Central Massachusetts proac- tively provided $100,000 to support the planning and implementation of efforts by community-based nonprofit organizations and the City of Worcester in a campaign to promote the vaccine in December 2020. e Health Foundation partnered with Worcester's Division of Public Health and the Meyers Primary Care Institute (a partnership between UMass Chan Medical School, Fallon Health, and Reliant Med- ical Group) in a multipronged proactive campaign to address vaccine hesitancy. In addition to city health officials, research- ers, physicians, and more than 30 commu- nity-based and faith-based organizations collaborated to build confidence in the vaccine. e campaign targeted those living or working in Worcester and surround- ing towns, including Graon, Holden, Leicester, Millbury, Shrewsbury, and West Boylston. Specific attention was placed on vulnerable populations, including persons of color and those with low incomes. When the COVID-19 vaccine was first released, essential health care workers, nursing home residents, and people with compromised immune systems were prior- itized to receive the first doses. Over time, the vaccine was made available to other special populations before it was eventual- ly available to the general public. Vaccine hesitancy diminished to some degree as more scientific information was disseminated and deaths because of COVID-19 gradually waned. By the end of April 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that vac- cination rates for Asian, White, Hispanic, and Black populations were 69.6%, 59%, 47.3%, and 46.3%, respectively. e "Get Vaccinated" campaign was activated in April 2021with the release of a video and website and a plan for phy- sician and community outreach efforts. Get the Shot: Campaign to Increase Vaccination Rates in a Global Pandemic Timeframe: 2020 – 2021 Lead Organization: City of Worcester Total Amount Funded: $100,000 P E N T A C O M M U N I C A T I O N S , I N C . / T H E P E N T A B U I L D I N G / 2 0 8 T U R N P I K E R O A D W E S T B O R O U G H , M A 0 1 5 8 1 / 5 0 8 . 6 1 6 . 9 9 0 0 Branding Style Guide Get Vaccinated Worcester Campaign

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