Leading Nonprofit Organizations Use On-The-Ground Experience to Provide Real-World Guidance for Community-Based Vaccination Efforts; 

Manual Comes on the Heels of the American Rescue Plan Being Signed Into Law, Providing More than $15 Billion to Improve and Expand COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Nationwide

LOS ANGELES – March 31, 2021 – Today, CORE and Partners In Health (PIH) – two leading nonprofit organizations that have been on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic – released a comprehensive manual breaking down the specifics of community-based vaccination operations in order to help scale up equity-focused vaccination efforts around the U.S. and beyond more rapidly.

The manual entitled, “Community-based COVID-19 Vaccination Manual: Lessons and insights from frontline operations,” provides real-world guidance to organizations, agencies, and individuals involved in community-based vaccination efforts. CORE and PIH developed the manual based on lessons learned from CORE’s experience operating community COVID-19 vaccination sites in Los Angeles and Atlanta and COVID-19 testing sites around the country, along with PIH’s long-standing global experience strengthening community health and promoting health equity in the United States. CORE has been operating one of the nation’s largest vaccination sites at Dodger Stadium, capable of administering over 12,000 vaccines per day, in addition to other fixed sites and a fleet of nimble mobile units providing direct vaccine access to marginalized and vulnerable communities.

“Increasing supply does not guarantee equitable access for communities to the vaccines they need. Access must be created through existing community relationships, trust, and presence in order to reach the most marginalized communities,” said Ann Lee, CORE’s co-founder and CEO. “This manual is a valuable resource to public, private, and non-profit organizations to provide equitable access to the vaccine. We have listened and learned over the past year as our tremendous staff and volunteers have continued to invest in protecting their communities. We are extremely grateful to Partners In Health for their keen collaboration on the manual and their steadfast commitment to healthy equity.”

“Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Partners In Health has focused on bridging crucial gaps, aiding the work of public health departments, and prioritizing care for marginalized communities,” said Katie Bollbach, Director of PIH’s U.S. Public Health Accompaniment Unit. “While lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines offer tremendous hope, it is our priority to ensure that the vaccines are distributed equitably, and freely available to everyone, everywhere. We are so proud to work alongside CORE on this important manual that focuses squarely on how to deliver on equitable community-based vaccination distribution. We must all work together to get shots in arms as quickly as possible.”

The release of the manual comes just weeks after President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan into law, which will provide more than $15 billion to improve and expand COVID-19 vaccination distribution across the country. The supply of COVID-19 vaccinations is expected to increase in the coming weeks, as manufacturers continue to ramp up production.

CORE and PIH provide a range of vaccination models based on each community’s diverse needs and local circumstances. The manual includes a rundown of different community vaccination models (mobile units, walk-up, and mass vaccination); detailed descriptions of recommended staffing, responsibilities, supplies and equipment; layouts for each station at a community vaccine site; and guidance and considerations for community engagement, partner coordination, safety, and more, all through the lens of providing equitable access to the vaccine.

About CORE

CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort) is a nonprofit organization co-founded by Sean Penn and Ann Lee that is dedicated to saving lives and strengthening communities affected by or vulnerable to crisis. Within hours of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Penn mobilized a powerful network to take immediate action. More than 10 years later, CORE continues to lead sustainable programs focused on four pillars: emergency relief, disaster preparedness, environmental resiliency and community building. The organization has expanded beyond Haiti to support communities in The Bahamas, Puerto Rico and the United States. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, CORE has been operating free testing sites across the country alongside local partners, providing essential resources and contact tracing services as well as part of its integrated “CORE 8” approach to combat the pandemic. In 2021, CORE is working with its partners nationwide to ensure equitable distribution of vaccines as they become available to the communities the organization serves.

More information: www.coreresponse.org/covid-19 and follow CORE on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

About Partners In Health

Partners In Health is a social justice organization that responds to the moral imperative to provide high-quality health care globally to those who need it most. In May 2020, PIH launched the United States Public Health Accompaniment Unit (USPHAU) to help states, cities, and communities rapidly scale up a more equitable and comprehensive public health response to COVID-19. Building on PIH’s 30-plus year track record of fighting epidemics and strengthening health systems around the world, the USPHAU is working shoulder-to-shoulder with partners around the country to advise, implement, and troubleshoot new strategies and initiatives to combat COVID-19, while preparing for the recovery and rebuild efforts that we know must urgently follow. The USPHAU is committed to building and strengthening resilient and responsive health systems in the U.S. that are rooted in access and equity for all.

More information: Partners In Health’s U.S. Public Health Accompaniment Unit | Partners In Health (pih.org)