In this session, participants learned about recent studies supporting the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy. Speakers identitifed common concerns patients cite when hesitant to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in pregnancy, and strategies for talking to patients, friends and family to encourage vaccination while pregnant.

Learn from Phoenix Matthews, PhD, Associate Dean for Equity and Inclusion Professor of Clinical Psychology at University of Illinois at Chicago, and their research in understanding and intervening on the factors associated with health inequalities among socially marginalized populations. We explored the compounded challenges nurses are facing in the healthcare space and community, including grief, institutional racism, and burnout.

Deborah Washington, PhD, RN, and John Nguyen-Yap, MSW shared on-the-ground initiatives in BIPOC communities, including services that promote culturally competent care and successful Public Service Announcements. We also explored strategies to improve access to vaccine education and distribution among Asian American (AA), Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) communities.

In this session, we learned key insights to building and sustaining successful community partnerships to support the COVID response. We heard from Trey George, President and CEO of Topeka Housing Authority and Mari Tucker, RENEW Partnership Liaison at Washburn University School of Nursing, who shared more about their unique partnership and community-based approach.