Strategies for Addressing COVID-19 Vaccine Equity With Intermediaries, Prevention Research Centers, and the Vaccine Confidence Network

Authors

KeliAnne K Hara-Hubbard
Allison Beaulieu
Anais Mendiola
Pooja Gandhi
Nicole Kuiper
Richard Quartarone
Jinni Tang
Olivia Dominguez
Maritza Bond
Dorothy Cohen
Margaret Goetz
Nasra Mohamed
Paula Cuccaro
Peggy A Hannon
Maria E Fernandez
Jackson Higginbottom
Rafael Pérez-Escamilla
Bárbara Baquero

Publication Date

10-15-2025

Journal

Vaccine

DOI

10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127847

PMID

41101080

Abstract

In April 2021, the CDC provided supplemental funding to all 26 Prevention Research Centers (PRCs) to create the PRC Vaccine Confidence Network (VCN) to increase COVID-19 vaccine confidence and uptake in communities disparately impacted by COVID-19 and/or in vaccine hesitant populations. A key strategy to building vaccine confidence was engaging with intermediaries (i.e., mutually trusted community and practice-based organizations conducting community outreach and intervention activities) to address barriers for our shared communities of focus. These intermediaries were key in building community trust, addressing community needs and concerns, and in turn, building vaccine confidence and demand in areas and communities disproportionately affected by the pandemic. While engaging with intermediaries helped to achieve the goals of the VCN, the role of intermediaries has not been consistently and widely described in the health promotion and disease prevention literature. In this manuscript we describe three cases of VCN-PRC-intermediary collaboration in Connecticut (Yale-Griffin), Texas (University of Texas Health Houston, UTHealth Houston), and Washington (University of Washington Health Promotion Research Center, UW HPRC) during the COVID-19 pandemic as a model for vaccine intervention. We discuss the importance of intermediary collaboration in implementing community-led public health actions to increase vaccine trust and access during the COVID-19 pandemic. We describe the role of the CDC COVID-19 Response Vaccine Task Force in forming the VCN, which supported timely exchanges of information, resources, and strategies. Finally, we share lessons learned from the VCN-PRC-intermediary collaborations and how they may apply to current and future vaccine uptake and outreach.

Published Open-Access

yes

Recommended Citation

Hara-Hubbard, KeliAnne K; Beaulieu, Allison; Mendiola, Anais; et al., "Strategies for Addressing COVID-19 Vaccine Equity With Intermediaries, Prevention Research Centers, and the Vaccine Confidence Network" (2025). Faculty, Staff and Student Publications. 1156.
https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/uthsph_docs/1156