New grant program seeks to fix COVID-19 vaccination disparities in Allentown, other Pennsylvania cities

Three ZIP code areas in Allentown with some of the highest levels of health disparities, poverty, and vaccine inequity in Pennsylvania have been targeted by a new state grant program designed to improve COVID-19 vaccination rates.

Last week, Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration and the United Way of Pennsylvania launched the Local Innovations in Vaccine Equity in Pennsylvania project, which will reimburse local organizations and nonprofits that run vaccine clinics within specific ZIP codes across the state. The aim of the project is to reduce vaccine hesitancy and ensure equitable vaccine distribution.

“It’s helping to offset the cost of hosting a clinic for any nonprofit that wants to do this work but it might be cost-prohibitive to them to host a clinic,” Priscilla Rosado, assistant director of food access and emergency services for United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, said.

There is $4 million available in mini-grants to reimburse organizations that participate in the program through June 2022. Grants will range from $200 to $20,000 per vaccination event, and organizations will be reimbursed $10 per shot given.

For the pilot phase of the program, 20 ZIP code areas in cities across Pennsylvania have been targeted, and three ZIP codes — 18101, 18102 and 18105 — are in Allentown. These ZIP codes were chosen by state government agencies and United Way based on certain levels of health inequity identified in the Pennsylvania Health Equity Analysis Tool. An interagency working group working with United Way is able to adjust what ZIP codes will be included in the pilot phase as necessary.

ZIP codes 18101 and 18102 cover much of Allentown’s urban center, and the majority of residents are poor and non-white. Poverty rates in these areas range anywhere from 61% to 77%, and anywhere from 63% to 88% of residents are racial and ethnic minorities, according to the Health Equity Analysis Tool. Various conditions that put people at high risk of severe COVID-19 illness, such as obesity, smoking, diabetes and coronary heart disease, are also common within these areas.

ZIP code 18105 is only .01 square miles in size and only has a population of 12 people, according to unitedstateszipcods.org. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, ZIP code 18105, like others across the state, was selected because certain levels of health inequity are present.

Data was not available that showed COVID-19 vaccination rates for specific ZIP codes within the state. However, within Lehigh County, non-white people are less likely to have been vaccinated than white people, and Hispanic people are less likely to have been vaccinated than non-Hispanic people, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

The grant program will try to address these disparities.

To qualify for the grant, organizations must operate in the targeted ZIP codes and plan to hold clinics in those ZIP codes. Organizations that qualify andwant to receive a grant must apply through the United Way of Pennsylvania. Local United Way agencies will receive the grant funds and distribute them to approved organizations.

Laura McHugh, a spokesperson for United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, said its chapter will work to connect nonprofit organizations with local health bureaus and networks when clinics need to be organized. She added it would also use existing resources and connections to promote local vaccine events.

“We’ll definitely be providing support to nonprofits who want to host. If they need support with social media outreach, or reaching community or doing media calls when it’s time to schedule those clinics, we’ll be able to support them every step of the way,” McHugh said.

However, McHugh said no program-funded clinics have been scheduled yet. Because the program just launched last week United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley is only starting to reaching out to some of its partner agencies about the grants, she said.

Morning Call reporter Leif Greiss can be reached at 610-679-4028 or lgreiss@mcall.com.

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