NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — Based on COVID-19 metrics, Connecticut is the safest state in the country. But it is hardly the time to rest on our laurels.
Yale and Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) partnered with the Community Alliance for Research and Engagement (CARE) to find out what the New Haven community suggests for increasing COVID-19 vaccination among Black and Latinx community members.
What they want are trust, transparency, and access.
“I also think the idea of just having support. Having a community, whether that was family members who have gotten vaccinated or that was reaching out to maybe a healthcare practitioner that they knew well, and just wanting to understand what are all these different vaccines, like how can I protect myself,” said Jessica Ainooson, a CARE research assistant.
“As we’ve been talking about, increasing trustworthiness in the healthcare system and building these relationships with the community. We really hope these will continue to be ongoing efforts,” said Dr. Lilanthi Balasuriya with Yale’s National Clinician Scholars Program.
Another problem they saw is the fact that there is so much information to decipher and sometimes it is conflicting.
They are striving to give consistent and accurate messaging moving forward.