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Catholic News Herald

Serving Christ and Connecting Catholics in Western North Carolina
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‘Community Immunity For All’ effort to vaccinate underserved communities

CHARLOTTE — Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. John Neumann churches are among area churches partnering with Atrium Health on its collaborative effort named “Community Immunity For All,” aimed at getting vaccines to underserved communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

The “Community Immunity For All” collaboration “aims to acknowledge the history of health injustice in communities of color, listen to and collaborate with partner organizations, and educate and support individuals in making informed decisions to best protect their health and well-being,” according to a Jan. 21 statement from Atrium Health. The medical provider is “coordinating on-site vaccination events in partnership with local organizations reaching underserved communities of color to ensure equity in access to safe, effective and FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines.”

Atrium is still putting together its plans and specific vaccination locations have yet to be determined, but the Charlotte churches could potentially be among those approved as mobile vaccination sites when supplies of vaccines become available. Atrium Health will also work with the churches on providing culturally responsive vaccine information to vulnerable populations.

Vincentian Father Gregory Gay, pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, said aiding the community as a possible vaccination site “is our wish and it will be of great benefit to our people, especially the elderly who will not have to form long waiting lines.”

Father Gay thanked Atrium Health for its collaboration, which on several occasions has offered mobile COVID-19 testing at the predominantly Hispanic parish – particularly since the Hispanic population in Charlotte has been severely affected by the pandemic.

“We have all witnessed firsthand the suffering that has occurred in vulnerable communities that don’t have access to life-saving care. And our message is quite simple and clear – we see you, and we are here for you,” Eugene Woods, president and CEO of Atrium Health, said in the statement. “That is why I am deeply appreciative of how we are working hand-in-hand with Governor (Roy) Cooper and his team, the faith community and business leaders to reach out to underserved populations and communities of color.”

Atrium Health’s vaccination outreach effort is being developed based on its successful mobile COVID-19 testing program, which relies on a systematic GIS mapping system to track and monitor for testing and vaccination disparities in the community. Atrium Health has brought its mobile testing units to several Charlotte-area Catholic churches, including Our Lady of Guadalupe and Our Lady of Consolation churches.

The collaborative vaccination effort took a first step last week at First Baptist Church-West, where nearly 300 eligible people received COVID-19 vaccinations, Atrium Heath communications specialist Savannah Simons said.

The “Community Immunity For All” collaboration incorporates Atrium Health’s existing “Para Tu Salud” efforts that began early in the pandemic to educate and inform Hispanic communities on how to stay safe and healthy. Through “Para Tu Salud,” Atrium Health has convened roundtable discussions with community organizations and coalitions to bridge services and resources to meet the needs of the Hispanic community and established a dedicated Spanish coronavirus webpage with information, resources and a free-risk assessment.

“Since the start of the pandemic, the ‘Para Tu Salud’ outreach under the auspices of Atrium Health, and in collaboration with local community partners and faith communities, has worked to reach our Latinx/Hispanic community with COVID-19 tests and screenings, free masks, and education on COVID-19,” said Rita Dominguez, an Atrium Community Health Project Manager.

Domínguez encourages everyone in the community “to schedule their vaccine and encourage others to do so also.”

The collaborative effort with local churches and non-profit organizations builds on Atrium Health’s public-private partnership with Honeywell, Tepper Sports and Entertainment, and Charlotte Motor Speedway that aims to support 1 million vaccinations by July 4.

“‘Community Immunity For All’ is the kind of collaboration that is needed to ensure equitable access to the vaccine and stop this pandemic,” said Dr. Mandy Cohen of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. “Everyone needs a spot to take their shot – a spot that is trusted and accessible.”

Other local partners of the “Community Immunity For All” collaborative include: CN Jenkins Memorial Presbyterian Church, Rockwell AME Zion Church, the Latino Faith and Health Coalition, Forest Hill Church, Iglesia Bautista Camino de Salvación, St. Andrews United Methodist Church, El Buen Samaritano, First Baptist Church in Huntersville, Iglesia Cristiana Puerto Nuevo, ourBRIDGE for KIDS, Negocios Hispanos de Charlotte and the Latin American Coalition.

Getting a COVID-19 vaccine is the best way for people to protect themselves, their families and their community, Atrium Health reminds people in its statement. “As larger portions of the population are vaccinated, the whole community becomes better protected.”

— Catholic News Herald