The National Institutes of Health was determined to ensure COVID-19 vaccines were tested in a population reflecting the diversity of the nation to build confidence in the vaccine that proved effective. Mobiles have been used for years to reach at-risk communities to fight HIV, and as more doses of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines arrive, mobile clinics are expected to help expand COVID-19 vaccination access.
Researchers from NYBC’s Project Achieve are answering the call by taking mobile labs to areas of Queens and Brooklyn with large African American, Asian, and Hispanic populations. Once study enrollment ends, participants can visit the mobile lab for their required check-ups. NYBC researchers are also spending time outside the mobile labs answering questions from the community about COVID-19 vaccination. It’s “building trust and rapport,” said Project Achieve’s Dr. Jorge Soler, whose expertise contributes to the study of the AstraZeneca vaccine. “I’m Latino and I’m a scientist. To be able to say that to people means something.”
Learn more about Project Achieve’s outstanding work in our diverse communities.