YCCI & the Yale Cultural Ambassadors host: "COVID Community Connection: What You Need to Know About the Vaccine and COVID-19"

March 05, 2021

Join YCCI and the Yale Cultural Ambassadors for an opportunity to get the most up-to-date information on COVID-19 from some of the nation’s leading experts on the subject. This webinar is appropriate for everyone but will highlight the importance of vaccination for the African American and Hispanic communities, which are three times more likely to be hospitalized and twice as likely to die from COVID-19.

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00:00Good evening everyone.
00:02Welcome to our webinar tonight.
00:04We are thrilled to have all of you here.
00:09We are thrilled to have this a steam
00:12group of experts to help us understand
00:15some of the issues surrounding Kovit
00:19and HealthEquity and our vaccines.
00:21And I wanted to start by letting
00:25everyone know that this event is in
00:28will be available in Closed caption.
00:31Anne in Spanish and right now
00:34I'm going to ask Rebecca Lillian,
00:37our Technical Support coordinator,
00:38to just Flash a slide that will
00:41show everyone how to select their
00:44language and their preferences.
00:46Rebecca, if you could share
00:48your screen for us.
00:54So these are the.
00:56These are the instructions if you
00:58need technical assistance you can just
01:00type your message in the Q&A box.
01:03Or if you're watching us on Facebook Live,
01:06you can also message the team the
01:08support team in Facebook Live.
01:14Thank you Rebecca.
01:17Now I'm going to turn it over to
01:20Dean Brown to get us started.
01:23Dane Brown. Thank you so much tiesha.
01:25I'm Nancy Brown.
01:26I'm the Dean of the Yale School
01:29of Medicine and we're very pleased
01:31that you were here with us tonight.
01:34They remember many members of our School of
01:37Medicine community including Yale Medicine,
01:39YCC, Iyanar, Yelsey, TSA,
01:40Eric, our partner, Yale,
01:42New Haven Health System,
01:43and we're particularly pleased
01:45that the cultural Ambassadors
01:47are hosting this town Hall.
01:49In joining along with the
01:50other members of our panel,
01:52including a special guest from the FDA.
01:56The impact of COVID-19 over the
01:58last year has been devastating.
02:01In the US alone,
02:03we've had approximately 28 million
02:06cases and more than 500,000 Americans
02:09have succumbed to the disease.
02:12The impact has not been equal.
02:14Black and Brown Americans have been
02:17disproportionately impacted with black
02:19or African Americans and Hispanics.
02:21Three times more likely to
02:23be hospitalised and twice as
02:26likely to die from the disease.
02:29Today vaccines provide us with
02:32hope that we can overcome covid.
02:35But we also understand that there
02:37are concerns about vaccines,
02:39and so we have invited a distinguished
02:42panel of guests tonight to provide
02:44information and to address some of the
02:47uncertainties and fears of our communities.
02:50Tonight I'll begin with some
02:52brief introductions of those
02:54from whom you will hear.
02:56But we will leave lots of time
02:59for discussion and questions.
03:02You asked the question, please use the
03:04Q&A function from your zoom.
03:06We also have questions that
03:09were submitted ahead of time.
03:11That we will begin with.
03:13So let me begin by introducing our panel.
03:17I'm delighted to introduce
03:18Rear Admiral Sharde Rojo,
03:20who is the Associate Commissioner
03:22for Minority Health and director
03:24of the Office of Minority Health
03:27and HealthEquity in the Office of
03:29the Commissioner at the US Food and
03:32Drug Administration and Admiral
03:33Rojo will tell us a little bit
03:36more about that role in a moment.
03:40Also with us tonight. His doctor
03:43Marcella Nunez Smith who is the
03:46associate Dean of
03:47HealthEquity Research at Yale
03:48School of Medicine and Deputy Director of
03:51the Yale Center for Clinical
03:53Investigation, or as we call it, YCCI
03:56She is the founding director of Equity
03:59Research and Innovation Center or
04:00Eric. The director of the Center for
04:03Research, Engagement, director of the
04:05Pozen Commonwealth Fund Fellowship
04:07in HealthEquity Leadership and Co.
04:08Director of the Doris Duke
04:10Clinical Research Fellowship.
04:13Doctor Nina Smith currently serves
04:15as senior adviser to the White House
04:18COVID-19 response team and chair of the
04:20COVID-19 HealthEquity Task Force at the
04:23Department of Health and Human Services.
04:28We have Doctor Tom Ball sack,
04:30Chief Medical Officer and
04:31senior Vice president of the
04:34Yale New Haven health system.
04:36Tom is also associate clinical
04:38Professor of medicine and
04:39lecturer in public Health,
04:40as well as fellow of the American
04:42College of Healthcare Executives in the
04:44American Board of Internal Medicine.
04:48We have Doctor Alan show,
04:50chief medical information,
04:51Officer of the Yale School
04:53of Medicine and Yale,
04:54New Haven Health and Co.
04:56Director of Informatics for YCC I.
05:00In his role, Doctor Shah leads a team
05:03of physician Informaticians who are
05:04responsible for medical
05:06leadership of a health
05:07electronic record system.
05:08And support technology systems to
05:10provide clinical decision support
05:12and innovation needed to deliver
05:14the best possible health care.
05:18Next, I'd like to introduce
05:19Doctor Onama Oblog who who is
05:22associate Professor of Medicine
05:24and program director infectious
05:25diseases in the School of Medicine.
05:30The last five years.
05:32He has been
05:33the director of the Yale AIDS Program
05:36in the HIV Clinical Trials Program
05:39and a principal direct investigator
05:41on numerous pharmacokinetic phase two
05:44and three safety and efficacy trials
05:47of novel antiviral compounds for HIV.
05:49But during the Kovid pandemic,
05:52he has been the principal investigator
05:54on many investigational therapeutic and
05:57preventive clinical trials for COVID-19.
06:00Including the Pfizer Bio
06:02Intec vaccine trial.
06:06Teacher Harris, whom you've already
06:08met, is deputy Director and Chief
06:10Operating Officer for the Yale
06:12Center for Clinical Investigation.
06:14And the director for clinical
06:16research for Yale School of Medicine.
06:19She sits on the external scientific
06:21advisory boards for CT essays at New York,
06:24Washington and Rockefeller Universities.
06:26the University of Buffalo, Colorado,
06:28Florida, Rochester in Washington
06:30and at University College London.
06:32Hospitals for Biomedical Research Center.
06:37Reverend Elvin Clayton is the
06:40pastor of Walters Memorial a Me
06:42Zion Church in Bridgeport, CT.
06:46A native of Waterbury, CT,
06:48he attended the local schools
06:50and graduated from the WF Raynor
06:52Regional Technical Vocational School,
06:54but I did not know until tonight
06:56is that Reverend Clayton worked in
06:59the automotive refinishing business
07:00for 25 years before beginning
07:03his pastoral vocation in 1983.
07:05After years of a passionate pursuit of music.
07:09Reverend Clayton became
07:10a cultural ambassador more than 11
07:12years ago so that he could help
07:15raise awareness of the importance of
07:18clinical trials for his community.
07:20He says the program has taught him the
07:22importance of diversity among clinical
07:24trial participants to include people
07:26from different ethnic backgrounds
07:28as well as women and children.
07:30Reverend Doctor
07:31Leroy Opari Junior is the
07:33pastor of Saint Stephens AME
07:36Ezion Church in Branford, CT.
07:39Reverend Perry earned his
07:41BA from Livingstone College,
07:43his mdev from Yale Divinity,
07:45STM and doctoral degree from New York
07:49Theological Seminary in New York.
07:51He remarks that although he was
07:53not aware that he was aware of
07:55health care disparities before
07:57becoming a cultural ambassador,
07:58he was not aware of the clinical
08:00research being conducted at Yale.
08:02And like Reverend Clayton,
08:03Doctor Perry has been a cultural
08:06ambassador for more than 11 years.
08:08He serves as an advocate within
08:10the African American community,
08:11in particular, and the larger
08:14minority communities in general.
08:16I'd like to thank all of our
08:19panelists for joining us tonight
08:21and now begin with a few questions.
08:24Money on this one is for you.
08:27We know that there are many concerns
08:29surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine,
08:31and especially for communities of color.
08:34Could you please give us some
08:36background on the essence of how the
08:39currently approved vaccines work?
08:42And thank you very much.
08:43Jim Brown and Nice to see everyone and
08:46thanks all of you for joining on on
08:48various platforms so you know can we
08:50just step back and think about just
08:52how amazing it is that in a shorter
08:55short period of time that we have,
08:57you know really highly effective
08:58unsafe vaccines.
08:59I think if you you know hold all of us at,
09:02you know a year ago as to our
09:04optimism about it happening,
09:06I think many of us may have been
09:08not too sure that this would be so.
09:10I think this is really about.
09:12Best outcome,
09:13and I think it's it's worth
09:15celebrating just the efforts and
09:18collaborations that related to
09:19these really landmark lifesaving.
09:22You know, achievements in regards
09:24that just to clarify again,
09:26the vaccines have received
09:28emergency use authorization.
09:29There still haven't received full approval,
09:32but that's a mechanism that
09:34allowed in a pandemic setting to
09:37be able to allow people access to
09:40vaccine candidates that have been.
09:46So I would focus on the current
09:48vaccines that are currently authorized
09:51for use in the United States.
09:53There's a vast array of different
09:56vaccine approaches that have
09:58been used converging frankly or.
10:00The vaccine antigen or the target?
10:02I think we've all benefited from
10:04the knowledge of the life cycle of
10:07the virus so very early on it was
10:09pretty clear what everyone should
10:11target in the virus to be able to
10:14prevent an infection from taking hold.
10:16And that was the spike protein and
10:18so you know all the vaccine more
10:21majority of the vaccine approaches
10:22have really focused on helping
10:24the human body produces immune
10:26immunity against this by quoting.
10:28To really prevent that first step.
10:30That the virus takes 2 to be
10:33able to cause an infection.
10:35The two platforms that we have
10:37currently authorized in the US are
10:39the Messenger RNA vaccines as well
10:41as the viral that their vaccine
10:44so the Messenger RNA vaccines are
10:46the Pfizer maternal vaccines,
10:47which were the lead in you know
10:50more advanced stage vaccines that
10:52received authorization and we know
10:54just last weekend that we're very
10:56proud that the FDA greenlighted,
10:58the Johnson and Johnson vaccine for use.
11:01You know each of them has their
11:03own unique advantages,
11:05and in some cases just unique
11:07considerations around.
11:08You know safety, efficacy,
11:09storage requirements, etc.
11:10You know how they work.
11:12The Messenger RNA vaccines marinese
11:14genetic code for the spike protein,
11:17so once it gets into the body,
11:19the body reads it off,
11:21produces the spike protein is
11:23presented to the immune system,
11:25and that's how individuals
11:27develop immunity to that.
11:28Messenger RNA vaccines are knew too.
11:31Yeah,
11:31approval or authorization for human use,
11:34but the technology has really been
11:36percolating for over two decades,
11:38including studies in animals.
11:40And looking at that technology.
11:42So that's just to debunk some of the
11:45concerns as to it being really brand new.
11:48You know, a technology.
11:50It's really been percolating for awhile,
11:52but truly applied to human
11:54disease in advanced stages.
11:56More recently,
11:57the viral vector vaccines typically
11:59use a platform of viruses that.
12:02There are tweaked to prevent
12:04them from causing human disease,
12:06so there are tweaks or they don't replicate.
12:09They typically the parts of the virus
12:11that can cause disease are also tweaked
12:14as well so that they tend not there.
12:17They are not expected to cause disease,
12:19but they just really used as vectors or
12:22vehicles or carry generate material.
12:24So the viral vectors are tweaked to
12:26introduce the genetic material for that
12:29includes for the spike protein as well,
12:31and so once the vaccine is prepared
12:33and administered to individuals.
12:35You know, again,
12:36that genetic material is read off
12:38then despite protein is eventually
12:40produced through series of steps and
12:42that also triggers immune system.
12:44So the science behind the vaccines
12:46have been sound and it's been
12:48great to really see two relatively
12:50novel at technologies, Messenger,
12:51RNA and viral vectors really come
12:54to the four of being the 1st
12:56wave of vaccines that have been
12:58approved.
12:59Now here's some really awesome news.
13:01So these vaccines are really effective.
13:03You know, we found that the Messenger
13:05RNA vaccines were 9495% effective.
13:07In preventing again,
13:08I think in the introduction I talked
13:10about what our guesses could have been.
13:13I think we'd all have been satisfied
13:15with anything that was about 50% frankly,
13:18and 95% is just, you know,
13:19as good as it gets with preventing
13:21a symptomatic COVID-19 disease.
13:23We saw that the Johnson and Johnson
13:26vaccine differs a little bit from
13:28the Pfizer maternal vaccines because
13:29it's a single shots and vaccine.
13:31Two dose vaccine is being evaluated,
13:34but the data we have is for the single
13:36shot vaccine and also showed about a 66%.
13:39Efficacy now I want to make something clear,
13:42like in spite of the different numbers.
13:45I think the great thing about the
13:47current authorized vaccines are that
13:49they are really highly effective
13:51in preventing severe and critical
13:52illness from COVID-19 as well as
13:55debt uniformly across the board
13:56regardless of the type of vaccine.
13:58That's amazing so that you could almost
14:00say that a clinical trial data strongly
14:03suggests that if you get vaccinated
14:05with any of these vaccine platforms,
14:07that the chance of you having severe disease.
14:10Being hospitalised going to the ICU,
14:12being ventilated and dying
14:14are really negligible,
14:15and that's really worth celebrating.
14:17Now let's put some icing on the cake.
14:19The safety profiles of these vaccines
14:21have been just beyond amazing,
14:23and we're seeing that now that the vaccines
14:26have been rolled out to larger populations
14:28that those findings are holding up.
14:30I mean,
14:31in the clinical trials,
14:33we did not find any serious adverse events
14:35or we're talking about things that the
14:37vaccine causes that will lead to unexpected
14:40hospitalization or unintended death.
14:42Which is just again beyond amazing and
14:43I think as the rollout has occurred,
14:46we've we've all been witnesses.
14:47You know,
14:48many of us on the panel have
14:49taken the vaccines ourselves,
14:51and we know that they've really been safe.
14:53The last point I just want to make is,
14:56of course,
14:56now that we have highly effective vaccines.
14:58The question is,
14:59how can we make the best of it?
15:01And so you know,
15:02translating vaccine efficacy
15:03to real world effectiveness.
15:05So there are people on the panel
15:06who are way more better than me
15:08with being able to explain some of
15:11the issues around hesitancy and.
15:12Uptick,
15:13but one point I just wanted to
15:15make is that one of the goals of
15:17the rollout of the vaccines is
15:19for us to achieve herd immunity,
15:21and that is if we have sufficient
15:23numbers of people in the Community
15:25who are vaccinated,
15:26developed immunity either through
15:28vaccination and of course in
15:29minority through immunity generated
15:30from having the disease itself.
15:32So a composite of that that if we
15:34have enough percent of people,
15:36you know estimates or anything
15:38from 65 to 85%.
15:39Roughly,
15:39there are lots of things that
15:41move the bar along that number.
15:43But if we have enough people vaccinated
15:45that we're able to really impact the
15:47ability of the disease to continue
15:49to circulate within our communities.
15:50So this is by way of introduction,
15:52and I'm sure we'll have
15:54time to address questions.
15:56Thank you very much.
15:58Doctor Nunes Smith. We we opened by.
16:02With the realization that people
16:05in communities of color are
16:07more than twice as likely to
16:09die of covid than white people,
16:12but minority Americans are
16:14receiving vaccines at lower rates
16:16than their white counterparts,
16:18are there impediments to
16:19equitable vaccine distribution?
16:21And what are they?
16:24Thank you Dean Brown and let me just
16:26just add my my gratitude to be here in
16:30this conversation with everyone tonight
16:32and to thank everybody for for joining.
16:35Um? You know, these are hard statistics
16:39and and it still causes me great
16:42pause every time I hear the frame.
16:45And I worry sometimes that we
16:47become numb to the statistics and.
16:51We forget that we have lost our
16:53family members and, you know,
16:55we've lost our uncles and our friends,
16:58our neighbors,
16:59our coworkers families are grieving.
17:01Communities are suffering.
17:02We've lost all this potential,
17:04and so less less.
17:05We forget that I wanted to
17:08be sure to honor you, know,
17:10the over half a million lives that we've
17:14now lost to COVID-19 in this country.
17:17And when we when we talk about the
17:20pandemic to your absolute point,
17:23the the impact has has been
17:25uneven and we see communities
17:27of color among the hardest hit.
17:30When we think about no cases as well
17:35as hospitalizations as well as death.
17:38And well, as economic suffering.
17:41So you know the promise of the vaccine.
17:43You know that?
17:44Let me take us to a hopeful place, right?
17:47I am very optimistic about the
17:49scientific discovery we just heard about.
17:51It is tremendous to have three
17:53condom right 123 and it is fantastic.
17:56And so we all need to be able to
17:58take advantage of the vaccine
18:00development in order to get to
18:02the other side of this pandemic.
18:04So it is the absolute right question to say.
18:07Where are we now with that and,
18:09and how might we?
18:11Do better moving forward so.
18:13You know the the data we have.
18:16Let me start there and make that point
18:18as far as who is getting vaccinated
18:20are incomplete and so you know for
18:23about 50% of vaccinations in this
18:25country we have race ethnicity data.
18:28So, so inadequate,
18:29but I would say that despite
18:31the data challenges,
18:33the early patterns have clearly
18:34emerged and we see that black
18:37and Brown individuals are getting
18:39vaccinated at rates lower than the
18:41share we would expect given their
18:44representation in the general population,
18:46and so that is concerning.
18:48You know,
18:48some of these data again early on,
18:51and we can have conversations
18:53about eligibility and priority,
18:55but I think you know we have to fundamentally
18:58in a conversation about vaccine confidence.
19:01Also, talk about vaccine access
19:03that has to be easy,
19:05right?
19:05Vaccination has to be convenient so we know.
19:08For example,
19:09vaccinations are free,
19:10so that's an important first step,
19:12but I'm sure if we opened up the mikes now,
19:16we could hear people stories
19:18around things like registration
19:19aware some of those challenges,
19:21other structural barriers that might exist,
19:23things like transportation not
19:25having access to paid time off,
19:27potentially right, and so.
19:28You know those I think are some
19:31of the considerations from the
19:33federal administration standpoint.
19:35It has been top of mind to be
19:38sure that we are ahead on access,
19:40and so launching several programs in
19:43the first three weeks really based on
19:46making sure that when people are at yes
19:49another part of our conversation is sort
19:51of all that is involved in folks be able
19:54to make that decision for themselves.
19:57But when people are at yes. And they are.
20:00So they have to connect with Maxine
20:02and so just a couple of examples
20:04of some of the programs that we've
20:06launched people may have seen the
20:09Community vaccination centers, right?
20:10Some of those are mass vaccination sites,
20:12but really and truly they come
20:14in different flavors and sizes,
20:15and so you'll see some of those
20:18vaccination centers in school gyms, right?
20:19In neighborhoods and communities.
20:21Many of those vaccination centers
20:22also have mobile capacity, right?
20:24Right now we see.
20:25I'll use the phrase my colleague
20:27Andy Slavitt uses right now we
20:29see people chasing vaccines.
20:30That's what's happening.
20:31Everybody sitting with eight
20:32computers and refreshing and.
20:34People are chasing that sees
20:35but pretty soon vaccines.
20:37They're going to find people
20:38right and so things like mobile
20:40units that can get us deep into
20:43communities are going to be critical.
20:45We've expanded and launched
20:46a retail pharmacy program,
20:47including local pharmacies,
20:49independent pharmacies as well.
20:50We are aware that there are pharmacy
20:52deserts in this country right?
20:5490% of Americans live within
20:565 miles of a pharmacy.
20:57If you don't have a car
20:59there 5 miles is not easy,
21:01so we are accounting for that as well.
21:04We're partnering with fairly
21:05qualified community health centers.
21:06All of these.
21:07All of these initiatives are about getting
21:09direct federal doses to these sites alright,
21:12and making sure that we're putting
21:14the sites where they are most needed.
21:16Using metrics like the Social
21:18Vulnerability Index from the CDC to say,
21:20how do we make sure?
21:21That when people are ready,
21:23their vaccine is nearby.
21:24It is close,
21:25it is accessible,
21:25so I think it's the right question
21:27to think and make sure I lead
21:29with access and addressing.
21:30Many of these structural
21:31barriers and concerns,
21:32and I'm sure we're going to unpack
21:34and talk more about tonight.
21:36Great, thank you.
21:39Admiral Rojo,
21:40you are
21:41the director of the FDA Office of
21:43Minority Health and HealthEquity.
21:45Can you give us a little bit of background
21:48on that office and its mission?
21:53Sure, first I want to say of course,
21:55thank you Dean Brown and thank you to
21:57the Yale Coach Ambassadors for the
21:59opportunity to participate and good
22:01evening everyone is truly a pleasure
22:03to be a part of the conversation this
22:05evening and I'm going to take a step a
22:08little bit back 'cause we many of you
22:10are probably very familiar with FDA,
22:12but just to give you a little bit
22:14of background about FDA and our
22:16mission and what we do,
22:18so FDA is responsible for protecting
22:19public health by are sharing the safety,
22:22efficacy and security of the Ranger.
22:23Product that we regulate.
22:25And of course you just heard about
22:27one of those product vaccines
22:28extremely important in our agency.
22:30We have an office of Minority Health
22:33and HealthEquity and I think it's
22:34important to know that we have an office
22:37that's dedicated to advancing the health
22:39of racial and ethnic minority populations.
22:41So our office was established at FDA in 2010.
22:44We were originally established
22:45as the Office of Minority Health.
22:47We are now of course named the Office
22:50of Minority Health and HealthEquity
22:51and we work to protect and promote the
22:54health of racial and ethnic minority.
22:56An other other,
22:57under under represented populations.
22:59By focusing our efforts really in two
23:01key areas and that's research and
23:03outreach in communication that works,
23:05shorts addressing, health disparities.
23:07Of course,
23:07we work broadly across our agency.
23:09We work very closely with
23:11our centers and offices,
23:13and we also work really closely with
23:15public and private sector stakeholders.
23:17I mentioned that we focus our
23:19work in two areas.
23:21So,
23:21for example,
23:22we have a research and collaboration
23:24program where we aim to advance
23:26minority health and health.
23:27Equity focused research,
23:28which is so critical.
23:30We just heard about the need for data and
23:33that's one of our key priorities as well.
23:35We support intramural extramural research.
23:37We participate in research opportunities
23:39across our agency and another area
23:41that's really important for us is
23:42making sure that we offer opportunities
23:44for internships and fellowships.
23:46We want to be able to continue to provide
23:48training in the face of health disparities.
23:51And of course,
23:52we work very closely with a range of
23:54stakeholders to advance our research agenda.
23:56The other area that I mentioned,
23:58we focus on everything.
24:00Communication,
24:00so we aim to improve decades communications
24:03with the populations that we serve.
24:05And we do that through a range of both
24:07culturally and linguistically tailored
24:09programs, initiatives and campaigns.
24:10Probably our most notable campaign is our
24:13diversity in clinical trials initiative,
24:15which is a key priority for
24:17our office as well as FDA,
24:19we develop health education materials
24:20we engage in social media outreach.
24:22We really want to make sure that
24:24we had a diverse means to reach
24:27our diverse consumers.
24:28We have a website we have.
24:30My HealthEquity lecture series,
24:32where we bring experts in the space
24:34of minority health and HealthEquity
24:35to share that information.
24:37Really,
24:37not only with FDA staff but also with the
24:40public in one area that's
24:42also very important for us,
24:43and I think that this is important across
24:46all of the work that we do in the office.
24:49Is collaborations and partnerships.
24:50Anyone that works in the
24:52space of health disparities?
24:53We all know that we cannot
24:55achieve this alone,
24:56and it's critically important that
24:58we work together so collaborations
24:59and partnerships are very important
25:01for us to achieve our mission.
25:03And one of those partnerships is of course
25:06the opportunity for us to work with Yale.
25:08We have a memorandum of understanding
25:10with Yale University which provides an
25:12opportunity for us to engage with the
25:14Yellow Cultural Ambassador program,
25:15which has been so important for us
25:17as we continue to work to advance
25:20diversity in clinical trials.
25:21We've also had the opportunity
25:22to engage on various different
25:24scientific collaborations,
25:25different types of outreach
25:26and educational initiatives,
25:27as well as, of course,
25:29having the opportunity for Yale
25:30interns to rotate through our office.
25:32We've had a couple that have had the
25:35opportunity to rotate through our office, so.
25:37Again,
25:38collaborations and partnerships
25:39are so very important to us.
25:42So I'll start there.
25:43Stop there.
25:44I can keep going
25:45on and on, but I'll pause there.
25:46That's wonderful and it's A wonderful Q
25:49for me to turn to teacher Harris to say.
25:521st, If you would explain iccy and
25:57I'm also interested in hearing.
26:00There is mistrust based on
26:02past research experience,
26:03and I wonder if you could talk
26:05a little bit about that history
26:07and so I'll turn it over to you.
26:11Thank you Dean Brown and thank you
26:14everyone for joining us and thank you,
26:16Arsene panelists.
26:17We greatly appreciate you being here
26:20to share the knowledge with everyone.
26:22The Yale Center for Clinical Investigation
26:24is really the the unit within the School
26:28of Medicine within our health system.
26:30Within our University that's charged
26:32with facilitating the research
26:34behind the scenes making sure
26:36that we have the systems in place,
26:38making sure that we have the
26:41locations in place making sure
26:43that we have the electronic tools.
26:46To have our clinical research
26:48not only run efficiently,
26:49but thinking about it from
26:51a patient centric POV,
26:53making sure that all of our patients
26:55and our community have access to the
26:59most innovative of clinical trials
27:01opportunities and so that's really
27:03what the the center is is about.
27:05And it's we have the wonderful
27:08support of NIH,
27:09an RCT SA grant which provides for
27:11a lot of that infrastructure and
27:14helps to support those activities,
27:16both locally.
27:17But it also helps us make national
27:19connection so that we can partner
27:22with other institutions to share best
27:24practices and to make the research
27:26environment that supports and underpins
27:28all of the clinical and translation
27:31and research that happens in the US.
27:33And even with international partnership.
27:35So those have been important
27:37components of what we do,
27:39and the center was founded in 2005,
27:41so we've been around for quite some time.
27:45One of the most important
27:47missions that we have,
27:48and it's LED us to the incredible
27:50partnership with the FDA Office of
27:52Minority Health and HealthEquity and
27:54many other wonderful partnerships.
27:56But one of the most important things.
27:59I think that we've done as a center
28:01was to connect with our community
28:04with our cultural ambassadors
28:06and that was about 10 years ago.
28:08And the reason that we connected with
28:11the cultural ambassadors was we were
28:14looking across our research enterprise.
28:16And and like much of the rest of the
28:19country and the rest of the world,
28:21troubled by the lack of minority
28:23participation in clinical research.
28:25And So what we did as a result we
28:27we tried to understand what some of
28:30those issues and those barriers were.
28:33Two participation and what we
28:35found was that there was a lot
28:37of it was related to trust,
28:39and not only the trust of sort of the
28:43past abuse is in research, but also.
28:45A lack of understanding of clinical research.
28:48What it means,
28:50what an informed consent is,
28:52what even the the fact that the
28:55clinical research opportunity existed.
28:57And so through the partnership
28:59with the ambassadors,
29:00what we've done is really try to spread
29:03the message that it's it's really
29:06important to acknowledge that those
29:08past issues did happen in research.
29:11Tuskegee did happen,
29:12Henrietta lacks that happened,
29:14but one of the really important messages
29:17is that regulatory change happened
29:19as result of those mistrust that
29:22there is additional safety protocols
29:24that are put in place to make sure.
29:28That individuals are protected
29:29that we have IRB process,
29:32an institutional review process
29:33where all of the research is reviewed
29:36and that review is mandated to
29:38have a community representative.
29:40And so there are things that
29:43are really important for the
29:45general community to know about.
29:47You know, again,
29:48acknowledging that these past issues
29:51did happen in these in research that
29:54there are these past mistrust but also
29:56to make sure that there's awareness.
29:59Of what has he?
30:00Open and what the protections
30:02truly are that exists in research
30:04and the partnership with the
30:06ambassadors became key to that,
30:08because what we found was that our
30:11community wanted to hear from voices
30:13that they trusted and that might not
30:16have been at the time or even now,
30:18the health profession,
30:19and so part of the role the ambassadors
30:22have played that so critical is to
30:24gain the knowledge for themselves,
30:26to understand all of these very complex
30:29research issues and then to help
30:31carry the message to their community.
30:34And make sure that the community
30:36members understand and can ask their
30:38questions and can ask those questions
30:41of of someone that they already
30:43have a trust relationship with.
30:45And so we formed this partnership with
30:48the Amy Zion Churches, African Methodist,
30:50Episcopal, Zion churches.
30:51I'll try not to use acronyms to this evening,
30:55but the IME Zion Churches of Connecticut,
30:58Anheuser for progressive action
30:59and we have just been astounded.
31:02Our partners are amazing.
31:03And they help us be better every day,
31:06and I definitely won't try to
31:08speak on their behalf because I
31:10will do a very poor job.
31:12I will let you hear from
31:13the experts themselves.
31:16Thank you Reverend Perry,
31:18I wonder if I might turn to you and.
31:24I believe you've participated in some trials,
31:27including a kovid vaccine trial.
31:28Can you share a little bit
31:31about your experience?
31:43Reverend Perry, I believe
31:44you're on mute still.
31:4730 There we go.
31:50OK, I was just saying thank you I gave.
31:52I just gave my speech but I
31:54guess I'll have to repeat it.
32:01The our work as cultural ambassadors
32:03has let us in a lot of directions
32:06and recently ribbon Clayton and I
32:09did take part in the Pfizer study.
32:11And part of the reason that we took.
32:15Part in this study was to say to our
32:18communities that we thought this was
32:20an important step for all of us.
32:23And we wanted to show and have them see
32:25that we believed enough in it to take it.
32:28To believe that it was safe
32:31and that it was critical,
32:33particularly for our population which was
32:36being impacted in such a dramatic way. Um?
32:42I could talk all day. Dean, is that
32:45the only question you have for me?
32:48Well, tell us a little bit about the impact
32:51that Covid has had on your community.
32:56I think I think Colbert has
32:58has impacted all of our
33:00communities, but I think for minorities it's
33:02it's hit us three or four times as hard.
33:06So within with regards to unemployment with
33:10regards to housing with regards to stress,
33:14I mean just being on lockdown not
33:19being accessible to mass or two.
33:23Even to have a primary care physician,
33:26I mean, it's it's a it's very difficult
33:28and So what we've been trying to do
33:31in for our seniors in particular.
33:33Who may not be able to do Tele medicine
33:36or to get on Azum call because they don't
33:39have Wi-Fi or they don't have a computer
33:42and they're still using flip phones, so.
33:45What we've been trying to do is
33:47cultural ambassadors is to somehow
33:49mediate between these in equities,
33:52so it's saying Stevens,
33:53one of the things we did.
33:55We had a class that yell helped us
33:58sponsored a pilot program where we work
34:01with twelve seniors to show them how they
34:04could get on and and do Tele medicine,
34:07how they could find their doctor,
34:09how they could get an email,
34:11an access to zoom.
34:14Phenomenal.
34:15It was empowering to see them to do that.
34:21So that was one of the things
34:23that that that we were able to do.
34:26Many of our churches and many in our
34:28community are doing things like food banks
34:31and they're trying to help with jobs,
34:33and this is one of the things we also
34:35do in one of the places that I work.
34:38You know,
34:39like there's a platform to employment,
34:41we have to work with ex offenders who
34:43are dads who don't get to see their
34:45children who have no jobs and no
34:47possibility of jobs because of their record.
34:50I mean, it's just.
34:51It's just.
34:52It's devastating and.
34:56If there was any anytime in America when
34:59America needs to come together and start
35:01at the bottom up, this is that time.
35:03And I want you know,
35:05I just I love the fact I tell all
35:08my friends and all my congregants.
35:10I got the shot.
35:12That's that's that's good news.
35:14That's gospel news.
35:16I got.
35:16The shot is as Marsella said to me once,
35:20is either the the vaccine or it's the virus.
35:24So that's that's that's the good news here.
35:28Thank you, Reverend Clayton.
35:30Do you want to add anything too?
35:34It's hard to follow
35:35Reverend Perry, I know, but.
35:39Thank you Dave Brown. Yes it is.
35:43Doctor Perry covers the whole ballpark, but.
35:49The kalvik impact that that I have seen.
35:53And experience first of all covert
35:56had impacted every area. About lives.
36:00I don't know of anything else that
36:02has shipped down the entire world.
36:05Our schools had closed.
36:07the University had closed for period of time.
36:10Hospitals and convalescent
36:12homes had to end visitations.
36:15Um, I had half a 7 year old
36:19granddaughter who lived in Denver and.
36:22I asked her last November I said
36:23what do you want? Granddaddy too?
36:26Get you for Christmas.
36:28She said Granddaddy,
36:29I want you to go to your computer.
36:33And buy airline ticket for you and Grandma.
36:36And come and visit us.
36:40But we can't.
36:41We couldn't do that because of the pandemic.
36:45Think about it, banks and financial
36:48institutions have to cut back.
36:50And I don't know if anything
36:52else that have shut down churches
36:54in the House of worship and it.
36:57It's a.
36:57It's a difficult thing when
36:59you can't gather for worship.
37:01To worship a God and in times of death
37:05and and we passed his no longer can
37:08hold the hands of parishioners and
37:11loved ones and comfort family so so.
37:14This was a difficult period
37:16for so many people.
37:19Kovik have impacted me and millions
37:21of others in every area of life,
37:24but I I think God that there is a bright
37:28light shining at the end of the tunnel.
37:31I thank God that the vaccines are available.
37:35I thank God that things are getting better.
37:39I think God for days like this when we
37:42have such a great panel who can give
37:46accurate knowledge to to help so many people.
37:50And encourage us with news about the
37:53pandemic and that this will pass pretty soon.
37:56We hope we are rising.
37:59We've got we're gonna get through
38:02it if we keep.
38:04Study and continue to wash our
38:06hands and and social distance.
38:09Even though we,
38:11I've already received my shots, we got ours.
38:16Doctor Perry back in August.
38:19And and what a blessing that was.
38:22So I think I'll stop there.
38:26Thank you.
38:29Doctor ball sack
38:33I think. It is the CMO of a
38:36hospital where many physicians have
38:38held the hands of patients, and.
38:41When family haven't been present,
38:43we've seen a lot, but today
38:45I'm going to ask you about.
38:49Vaccination and ask you to speak a
38:52little bit about what the health system.
38:55Is doing to address Covid still today and
38:57a little bit about the vaccine delivery
39:00efforts of the young human health system?
39:02Sir, thank you. Doctor Brown.
39:04It's as you said, Reverend Clayton.
39:06It's a little tough to follow
39:08this incredible group.
39:09I don't want to go back over the
39:12same territory, but I want to
39:15pick up where Doctor Nunez Smith.
39:17Noted two things.
39:19One is the incredible devastation
39:21and death and and terrible
39:23things that have happened.
39:24And you know,
39:25I think we need to acknowledge
39:28that in our own health system
39:30there have been over 1000 deaths,
39:33and while we've treated.
39:34More than 6000 individuals and
39:36discharged majority of them Home,
39:385000 of them home.
39:40We've had 5000 deaths and it's
39:41important to note that every single
39:43one of those is so important,
39:45but I want to pivot quickly
39:47to what you just talked about.
39:49Which is, you know,
39:50some of the amazing things
39:52that we've experienced,
39:53and I think the vaccine is only the
39:56latest one of the things that I feel
39:58that's happened, at least in our.
40:00Our communities is we've come together.
40:02I think in a way that we haven't seen
40:04in the past and I really appreciate
40:07being part of this panel and I
40:09really appreciate the opportunity
40:11to highlight some of the things
40:13like Teacher was talking about,
40:14which was the cultural ambassadors.
40:16I mean,
40:17we are blessed to be in the
40:19community that we are in to have
40:21the resources that we have,
40:23including the YCC.
40:24I to have you all as cultural
40:26ambassadors to do things like help
40:28bring the Pfizer vaccine trial to New
40:30Haven and improve our ability to do trials.
40:33And I think we've come together in
40:36terms of how we've cared for patients.
40:39You know we've cared for these 4000
40:41patients because all walks of physicians,
40:44nurses, pharmacists,
40:44respiratory therapists,
40:45dropped whatever they were doing,
40:47and they ran to the fire to help.
40:50An we met that challenge and then
40:53when we had to stand up testing
40:55and you know one of the great
40:57benefits we have is the Yale School
40:59of Medicine and the Incredible
41:01Talent of the Yale Physicians.
41:02One of those yellow physicians created
41:04the first non commercial covid test
41:06in the country that was FDA approved.
41:08Doctor Marie Landry did.
41:09And then we stood up testing sites in
41:12all of our cities and in our communities.
41:14And again we met that challenge.
41:16All of our staff.
41:18Random that.
41:19And now we're doing the same
41:21thing with vaccination.
41:21We're blessed as Doctor Denise Smith said.
41:24Now with three great vaccines that
41:25I can't believe that you know,
41:27you can read the articles
41:29about how they were done.
41:30There's a great expozay in the
41:32Washington Post about the scientists
41:33that develop them and how they did it.
41:36And it's just brilliant science.
41:37And now we have the ability to deliver them.
41:40And so far since December 15th.
41:42We vaccinated more than 100 and
41:4515,000 individual shots and in that
41:47we vaccinated about 70,000 people.
41:50With both doses,
41:51we still have about another 30,000 to
41:54get the second dose and hopefully many,
41:57many more 100,000. With regard to what you,
42:00what Doctor New Smith addressed around the
42:03two things that I think we've all identified
42:05as challenges to getting our broad black and
42:08Brown citizens and colleagues vaccinated.
42:10Really, the two things that she
42:12highlighted we've been trying really hard.
42:14Not just at our health system,
42:16but really with our friends and
42:18partners across the state to address.
42:201 is the access issue we've placed
42:22our vaccine sites in our communities.
42:24So in New Haven at Floyd Little in Bridgeport
42:27at the University of Bridgeport at the.
42:30Wheeler Center in New London at
42:32Mitchell College and she also mentioned
42:34how we might be able to mobile sites
42:37while we're doing pop up sites.
42:40Yesterday we did one at the Bethel a
42:42Me Church and it was a success and
42:45tomorrow will be at the Christian
42:47Tabernacle Baptist Church as well.
42:50These are not mass vaccination sites at
42:52the large sites like Floyd Little we can
42:55deliver 1000 vaccines a day but still access.
42:58There is a challenge because.
43:01As folks have said,
43:01you have to you have to navigate an
43:04appointment and getting the first
43:05appointment is tough once you're there.
43:07Once you're in,
43:08we help you with getting the 2nd
43:10appointment so you don't leave the
43:12site if you until you have that
43:14second appointment scheduled.
43:15So how are we doing that?
43:17How are we working on access there?
43:19Well,
43:19we've partnered with the State of
43:21Connecticut State of Connecticut
43:22has a 211 information call.
43:24If you call 211,
43:25they will help navigate you
43:26to the closest place,
43:28whether it be one of our sites.
43:30One of the local health Department's
43:32one of the other hospitals.
43:33Or health systems,
43:35but you can also call R 833.
43:39Ask YNHH and they'll help you.
43:43We've also piloted very successfully
43:45reverse 911 so many of us have
43:49registered and four in our towns that
43:51if there's a disaster that they send
43:54us a text message to our phones.
43:57We use that information.
43:58We've partnered with the State of
44:01Connecticut and we're targeting zip
44:03codes where we're seeing particularly
44:05those zip codes that Doctor Nunez Smith
44:08mentioned that have a very bad SVI.
44:10And we've partnering calling those
44:12individuals and then preferentially
44:14allowing them.
44:15To get to the head of the line.
44:18But still we're not making the
44:20progress that we'd like to see,
44:21so we're going to have to be smarter.
44:24We're going to have to listen
44:26to our communities about how we
44:28can get registration better,
44:29and I think I think information and
44:31discussions like this can help.
44:33So we stand, you know,
44:34very ready to continue vaccinating.
44:36And by the way, it's not just us.
44:39We have community partnerships
44:40with our city and state and
44:41Community health Department's,
44:43and we're working very effectively with them.
44:45And our federally qualified health centers.
44:48And every week we sit, we strategize.
44:50We share resources.
44:52We share vaccine.
44:53We're trying to get everyone
44:55vaccinated as fast as we can.
44:58So thank you for letting us be part of this.
45:01And you know, again,
45:02one of the things that I feel is I
45:05feel a sense of connected community
45:06that I think is enhanced through this
45:09one bright thing that I think we've
45:11seen the other is is that we have met
45:13all of these challenges and every
45:15time we meet one of these challenges,
45:18it's impressive to me how
45:19we rise to overcome it.
45:21And I'm sure we're going to do this more.
45:24Thank
45:24you. Thank you, Tom.
45:27Doctor sholl the sum of what Tom
45:31mentioned involved. For example,
45:34reverse 911 involves using informatics
45:37in our electronic health record.
45:40Both to reach patients and also I think
45:43to to modify some of our treatment
45:45protocols in the early days of covid.
45:47As we were learning more about the virus,
45:50can you share a little bit about the
45:53electronic health record and the role
45:55it's played both in the treatment of
45:57Covid and now in vaccination there? Thank
45:59you, Dean Brown and thank you to
46:01the Culture ambassadors in the
46:03community is up his information,
46:05but I think to your point, Dean Brown,
46:07the electronic health records,
46:09been incredibly powerful for us as a tool to
46:12help fight covid even from the beginning.
46:14As we started realizing that Covid
46:16was taking hold of Connecticut,
46:18we use it to track the number of
46:20positive test results there coming
46:22across state and were able to the Geo
46:24map and see where the hotspots were.
46:26We were able to then start building
46:29dashboards to track our admissions to
46:31the different hospitals and it trickled
46:33in the beginning and then became a big
46:35wave as I think many people know where we,
46:38you know had hundreds of patients
46:39at all of our different hospitals
46:41and with the dashboards and the.
46:43Information from the electronic
46:45health record system.
46:46We could track how many patients we
46:48had in each of the different hospitals,
46:51how many ICU, how many were on ventilators,
46:55who was doing well, who wasn't,
46:57and be able to deploy resources.
46:59Scarce PPE, you know,
47:01personnel to different hospitals,
47:02even transfer the sickest patients
47:04you know to others and to your point.
47:07It was also very critical for our
47:10treatment strategy and we had
47:13a team of experts.
47:14That were working night and
47:16day to ask hour for,
47:17you know for all the latest
47:19evidence that was coming across an
47:21experience from other institutions
47:22in the in the literature and we're
47:25constantly refining the protocols,
47:27treatment protocols that we would
47:28recommend as our standard of care.
47:30And then we would use electronic
47:33health record to roll that out.
47:35So no matter which of our seven
47:37hospital campuses patients were at,
47:39they were getting the latest
47:40greatest advice and evidence
47:42based medicine guidelines that are
47:44experts for identifying so.
47:45Extremely powerful and and you know
47:47with with the vaccination to your point,
47:50it's also been extremely powerful.
47:52Tool is Doctor Ballsack mentioned.
47:53You know the different strategies
47:55with reverse 911 and folks can you
47:58know can call our different hotlines.
48:00Folks can also make appointments
48:01using our patient portal.
48:03My chart as another option and we
48:05want to make it as easy as possible
48:07and all the different methods are all
48:10important avenues to get vaccination.
48:12And so whether you have my chart
48:15account or not,
48:16we've set up websites where people can.
48:18Log in to answer the screening questions
48:20and then as soon as vaccinations available,
48:23they can sign up for those vaccinations
48:25and then we use the system to track
48:28when they need a second dose.
48:30If it's one of those vaccines that
48:32need two doses and help them schedule
48:35easily so they can leave their first
48:37dose appointment with an appointment
48:39for the 2nd one so the electronic
48:42health record system has been extremely
48:44integral to both vaccination and
48:45to our initial battle.
48:47Andcontinued battle with Covid.
48:51Thank you we have a number of
48:54questions that have been submitted.
48:56I think Admiral Rojo I'm going
48:59to direct this one to you.
49:01The question is that.
49:03After the FDA approved the vaccines,
49:06the need to administer a series of two
49:09doses was was determined and now the
49:12latest vaccine requires a single dose.
49:15Can you explain a little bit about the
49:18process through which it was determined?
49:21How many doses of vaccine might be needed?
49:28Sure, I am happy to kind of start
49:30and provide some information,
49:32and if they you know a process where,
49:35for example, we actually have a range
49:37of resources on our FDA website which
49:39I think is really important to know
49:41because it actually goes through the
49:43entire vaccine approval process,
49:45which is really helpful to understand
49:47because then you can also understand,
49:49as we heard earlier, how,
49:51of course the vaccines right
49:52now have been authorized under
49:53emergency use authorization,
49:55so it talks about that process
49:57and it also talks about.
49:59The process for vaccine approval.
50:01For all of the vaccines and we talked about
50:03the three vaccines that are out there,
50:06we've talked about,
50:07there's also been advisory committee
50:09meetings that have been really important.
50:11Those Advisory Committee meeting certain
50:12discussion related to that entire process,
50:14and we've been able to also get public
50:17feedback and the basically as far as
50:19the approval is based off the data
50:21that is submitted an our career.
50:23Scientists at FDA review that data
50:25is very rigorous process.
50:26They review that data and based off the data.
50:29Also, of course we have the Public
50:32Advisory Committee meeting.
50:33That's how those decisions are made,
50:34and the other thing that I will highlight
50:37again that I think is really important.
50:39It's important to understand that
50:40process and we have an entire vaccine
50:42101 web page on the FDA website that I
50:45think is really important and helpful.
50:46There is even an infographic that
50:48kind of walks you through what
50:50that process looks like.
50:52Great, will try to get that
50:54up on the chat if we can. Uh.
50:57Honey, I wonder if you could expand
50:59a little bit on this and from based
51:03on data from trials and related
51:05question that people have is.
51:08For those who have been vaccinated,
51:09what do we know about how long it lasts,
51:12and whether there will be a need for a
51:14booster at those sorts of questions? Yeah,
51:17that's a great question that we
51:19don't have all the answers to,
51:21so we know that the clinical trials
51:24have really been going on in the
51:26most part for less than a year,
51:28especially for the phase three trials.
51:30But with their starting to be emerging
51:32data from the earlier phase trials,
51:34for example, there will be there in
51:36a group have published every 120
51:38days after the first fascination.
51:40Still showing robust trajectory's of both
51:42antibodies and and neutralizing titers.
51:44The little bit of a droplet still
51:46sufficient to be able to work.
51:48Protect against infection.
51:49We think now the problem is that we
51:52don't have great information about
51:53what the correlates of immunity are.
51:55So for example,
51:56what antibody levels you know
51:58afford protection?
51:58So there's still a lot more
52:00to be learned about that,
52:01but the clinical trials are going on
52:04for awhile and the phase three trials
52:06will be going on for three years,
52:08and there's going to be longitudinal
52:10assessments of the antibody levels overtime,
52:12and I think we're going to learn
52:14so much more,
52:15but I think based at least on the
52:17early data on this trajectory is,
52:19you know.
52:19And in the absence of any
52:21variants that seriously evade the
52:23current vaccine responses,
52:25you know that we think that at least
52:27you know for the next year or so,
52:30people who are vaccinated should
52:31be protected, but that can change.
52:36Thank you Reverend Perry and Clayton,
52:38both of you volunteered for vaccine
52:42trials in August at a time when we
52:45did not know a lot about them and
52:49when you also had the possibility
52:52that you might receive a placebo
52:55rather than the active vaccine.
52:58Um? Tell us a little bit about why
53:02you participated, were you afraid?
53:06Would you recommend that others
53:07participate in clinical research?
53:13Hi Dean Brown, there was No
53:16Fear because we knew that
53:19by the time it got to face,
53:22three is relatively safe.
53:25Um? I was hoping that I.
53:29Received the actual vaccine,
53:31and because I didn't have
53:33any affect from the shots,
53:36I thought I probably got the placebo.
53:39But when the study became an unblinded,
53:42I realized that it got the actual
53:46VAC vaccine and boy was a happy day.
53:51So so. And I I did this because, you know.
53:58Early on there were few people of color
54:02that participated in the study. I think.
54:07Before we got before we completed it,
54:10I think we were up to about 41% so.
54:15I think we did a little help too to help
54:19our cause and because of it I think.
54:22Our community and the world have been helped.
54:28Reverend Perry yes I.
54:31I agree with my colleague. I
54:35think one of one of the things that
54:37a person had when we've been trying
54:40to suggest our community is that we
54:43need to take charge of our health.
54:45And you know, we just can't
54:47depend on other people.
54:48We really have to stand up man up,
54:51woman up and take charge of our health.
54:53I was mentoring a young fellow,
54:55one of one of the dads in my program
54:58and as a cultural ambassador.
55:00I was telling him about the Pfizer
55:02study and I was saying man,
55:04you can you can you can go down to
55:06yell and maybe get the vaccine or
55:09if not the placebo but you would be
55:12in the study and you'd be helping
55:14yourself and so many other people.
55:16And he said to me, not, don't do it.
55:20He said, wait?
55:21And that's that's that's part
55:23of our community.
55:25Wait and see how other people.
55:27React and what happens to them?
55:30And so I said to him.
55:32But if if we wait,
55:34we may not be around to see the results
55:38of how this affects other people,
55:40because we won't be here.
55:43And then I realized that maybe
55:45what I needed to do was to
55:47demonstrate when I was putting you.
55:48Like you said,
55:49put your money where your mouth is.
55:51I said maybe I need to just.
55:54My example lead,
55:55and I think that that was one
55:59of the motivating events that
56:01led me to go ahead and.
56:04And sign up for the study and then.
56:07I asked my daughter. Who is 28 and.
56:13You know, young people.
56:14I'm always impressed with them.
56:16I I I just don't understand them so.
56:20I was expecting her to say no
56:22and then she said yes and I said,
56:24wow,
56:25that's really interesting because
56:26the people that I were talking to
56:29basically were in her age group were really.
56:31They did not believe that it was important.
56:33The other thing you know when we look
56:36at social determinants of health.
56:37But we don't sometimes look at his is
56:40the mindset of people who are at the bottom.
56:43Who have a sense of hopelessness.
56:45And so when it comes to death,
56:48it's almost like.
56:50It's not a great importance to them.
56:52It's like living Diridon died kind of thing,
56:54so it's kind of, you know you gotta
56:56reach out to these people and say,
56:58but you're important.
56:59You want to be around for your children?
57:01You wanna be around for your parents.
57:02You want to be around, you know.
57:04Because you can be around if
57:06you take charge of your health,
57:08but if you don't.
57:10Then there are consequences that
57:12not only gonna affect you,
57:14but your community.
57:15So I heard when Doctor Talk about her
57:19community and another doctor said no,
57:21it's not hurt its community.
57:23But we weren't what we're interested
57:26in is safeguarding our community,
57:28empowering our community,
57:29vaccinating our community.
57:30And when we do that.
57:33The outrage and the platform is.
57:36Becomes enormously large and meaningful,
57:39and that's what we have to do.
57:45Thank you.
57:48Oh, there are a couple of
57:50questions that have come in
57:53while we've been speaking and.
57:55One question and I'm not sure,
57:57maybe Tom the question is.
58:01This may be also marcella,
58:04if if we could speak to the challenges
58:07of vaccinating undocumented,
58:09an refugee populations in what
58:12programs might be in place. Sure
58:16we have. You know we have a program
58:19that we didn't start it out this way,
58:22but it is turned out to be a way for
58:25undocumented individuals to get healthcare.
58:28And it's our program called Project Access.
58:30It's on York Street.
58:32It's right underneath the Air
58:34Rights garage and it was set up.
58:37Initially modeled after other programs
58:39around the country to give access
58:41to individuals who may not have
58:43it because of lack of insurance.
58:45Access to specialty care.
58:48And now every year we navigate
58:50hundreds and hundreds of folks.
58:52Right now it's primarily undocumented
58:54because of the Affordable Care Act.
58:56Many of the folks that didn't have
58:58insurance had access now to Medicaid
59:01and other types of insurance products,
59:03so we've been using our known list
59:05of individuals who are undocumented
59:07because they've received care
59:08through project access and we try
59:11to keep those lists separate,
59:12and I can describe that later if you'd like,
59:16and we're trying to reach out to them.
59:19But we you know the vaccine is
59:22free if you have no insurance,
59:25you don't need to pay anything for it all.
59:29You'd simply need to do is give us your name.
59:33If you register you and of course
59:36your immigration status is not
59:39at all anything that we ask for.
59:41Look for have any interest in verifying
59:44so you know those populations can be hard,
59:48very hard to reach.
59:50And again,
59:51we're trying through a couple
59:52of different levers to do that,
59:53but let me ask Marcel if she has other ideas,
59:56and maybe there's some folks here
59:57on the phone who might also give
59:59us some additional ideas.
01:00:00Anecdote perfect so.
01:00:04So glad to have you talk about
01:00:06project access such a great
01:00:08asset in our in our community.
01:00:09You know, I would say that kind
01:00:11of part of that question too,
01:00:13or some of the concerns that
01:00:15might be unique to people who are
01:00:17undocumented or refugees and so
01:00:19really important to speak to it.
01:00:20I would just pick up where you left
01:00:22off one of the key principles here
01:00:24of course is making sure that people
01:00:27don't have any surprise costs or no
01:00:29out of pocket cost for the vaccine.
01:00:31You know, one of the things that we're doing.
01:00:34And the federal ministration, too,
01:00:36is is trying to communicate and
01:00:38grateful for this opportunity.
01:00:39Some of those other things that
01:00:41come up as well.
01:00:43For example,
01:00:43you know what is the flow of data, right?
01:00:46As people are registering
01:00:48and giving information,
01:00:49there often are concerned about kind of.
01:00:51Where will data go and so important to stay
01:00:54here tonight that there are firewalls, right?
01:00:57None of the data collected in terms of
01:00:59registration for vaccination goes to,
01:01:01for example,
01:01:02immigration or Immigration Services.
01:01:03We have made it very clear.
01:01:05That all vaccination sites are
01:01:07immigration enforcement free zones,
01:01:09right?
01:01:09So there will be no immigration activity
01:01:12at any vaccination site that is critical.
01:01:14You know other things too early on.
01:01:17You know the registration systems.
01:01:19Many of them were asking people
01:01:22questions such as are you a US
01:01:24citizen at time of registration
01:01:25you know we have to get rid of
01:01:28those barriers as well as asking.
01:01:32But people about,
01:01:33in addition to the immigration status
01:01:35asking for kind of mandated identification,
01:01:37so these are some of the specific
01:01:39structural barriers as we've been talking
01:01:41about tonight that have to be overcome.
01:01:44You know,
01:01:44I think so many people have said it tonight.
01:01:47One of the things that's
01:01:49incredibly valuable is listening,
01:01:50engaging with communities.
01:01:51Communities are experts in what they need.
01:01:54Most we've been able to have great
01:01:56stakeholder conversations with
01:01:57advocates representing these very
01:01:58communities who made clear like
01:02:00these are what the barriers are.
01:02:02These are some of the concerns
01:02:04that are unique.
01:02:05Back to the trusted messengers again.
01:02:07So it's making sure the policies are
01:02:09in place to promote vaccination,
01:02:11but also the trusted messengers.
01:02:13Know that and can share that
01:02:15information with those communities who,
01:02:16for lots of understandable reasons
01:02:18might might have hesitancy about
01:02:19getting vaccinated.
01:02:20And I think that's an important,
01:02:22maybe said for other parts of
01:02:24the conversation,
01:02:24we talk about vaccine confidence.
01:02:26You know the questions people have about
01:02:29vaccination are going to be really unique,
01:02:31and so we have to keep in mind that
01:02:33these messages have to be tailored.
01:02:35One person might be thinking about.
01:02:37Immigration enforcement and somebody
01:02:38else might be thinking about infertility.
01:02:40So how do we make sure that we are
01:02:42addressing all of these different
01:02:43concerns and that people are
01:02:45hearing this from the folks that
01:02:46they trust to hear that
01:02:47information from?
01:02:50Make it related to that.
01:02:52Only one of the questions in the
01:02:54chat relates to vaccine rates among
01:02:56our military and this sort of urban
01:02:59legend that circulates about side
01:03:02effects of vaccines. How do you?
01:03:06How do you talk with patients about
01:03:09those things and educate about side
01:03:11effects or lack of side effects? Yeah,
01:03:14so part of my messages messages that
01:03:16side effects happen and they happen
01:03:19with every vaccine under the sun,
01:03:21and so they're reasonably to be expected.
01:03:23The other message I have is that you
01:03:25know the side effects that happen with
01:03:28the vaccines are in majority of cases
01:03:30a good thing because they correlate
01:03:32pretty well with developing appropriate
01:03:34immune responses to the vaccine.
01:03:36Two reasons why I say that one is
01:03:38we find that younger individuals
01:03:39tend to have more of those side
01:03:42effects than older individuals,
01:03:44and we know that's because younger
01:03:46people tend to have much more robust.
01:03:49Antibody responses to the vaccine.
01:03:50Another observation which buttress is that
01:03:53point is that people also tend to have
01:03:56more side effects with the second dose,
01:03:58and looking at some of the early phase
01:04:01immunogenicity data or the data around
01:04:03what happens to the antibody levels with
01:04:06the second dose should support the second.
01:04:08Those and there corresponds
01:04:10very well with that.
01:04:11So in general I tell people receiving
01:04:14the vaccine to expect some some some
01:04:16occur more frequently than others.
01:04:18But they're really just a good sign that
01:04:21your body is responding well to the vaccines.
01:04:24And again,
01:04:24I remind everyone that you know
01:04:26severe adverse events that lead to
01:04:28hospitalization and death were literally
01:04:30unheard of in the vaccine platforms that
01:04:33I received emergency use authorization.
01:04:34So these vaccines really have
01:04:36a great safety record,
01:04:37and you know the side effects when they
01:04:40do occur tend to be mild to moderate.
01:04:43They happen at Year 2 after vaccination.
01:04:45They resolved pretty quickly,
01:04:46and frankly, there well worth it.
01:04:48Comparing to the protection that
01:04:50you get from from the
01:04:52vaccine. Thank you.
01:04:56Admiral Rojo, one of the.
01:05:00Characteristics of the vaccine
01:05:02trials is that there were
01:05:04many minority participants,
01:05:06and your office has been
01:05:08very engaged in increasing,
01:05:11as you mentioned at the outset,
01:05:14the participation of those who were
01:05:17underrepresented in in trials.
01:05:19Can you talk?
01:05:20A little bit more about the importance
01:05:22of that and its impact on our
01:05:25treatments that we have to offer.
01:05:29Sure, absolutely, and I also want to kind of
01:05:31circle back really quickly just to comment
01:05:33on something that was just mentioned,
01:05:35'cause I think it's in really important
01:05:37to know the types of information and
01:05:39resources that are available to all of us.
01:05:41We've been talking, of course,
01:05:43about vaccines we understand.
01:05:44Of course, when we talked about vaccine
01:05:46hesitancy and one of the things that
01:05:48I think is really important to know.
01:05:50For example, are FDA Center for
01:05:52biologics evaluation and research.
01:05:53They are responsible for the
01:05:54oversight of vaccines at FDA,
01:05:56our agency, being a Regulatory agency.
01:05:58We have, of course,
01:05:59rigorous standards for safety.
01:06:00Accuracy and effectiveness and
01:06:01one of the things that I think
01:06:04as we've all talked about,
01:06:05we know that vaccines are one of the safest
01:06:07ways to help prevent infectious diseases.
01:06:10Like COVID-19 they can protect you
01:06:11and your loved ones, so it's so
01:06:13important for us to get vaccinated.
01:06:15It's also important for you to
01:06:17know where you can get resources,
01:06:19and I did want to highlight that for FDA
01:06:21we have our COVID-19 vaccines web page.
01:06:24It has information related to
01:06:25emergency use authorization,
01:06:26EUA.
01:06:27All the terminology that you're
01:06:28hearing us talk about tonight
01:06:30when we talk about vaccines.
01:06:31And it has a lot of information
01:06:33there that I think is really helpful.
01:06:35So I did want to add to the conversation
01:06:37about the resources because I think
01:06:39it's really important for all of us
01:06:41and something that we've been really
01:06:43focused on throughout this pandemic
01:06:44to make sure all of us are diverse
01:06:46communities that public overall that we
01:06:48have current and accurate information
01:06:49so that we can all make informed decision.
01:06:52So I wanted to make sure that I highlighted
01:06:54that resource diversity in clinical trials.
01:06:56That's a key priority for our office.
01:06:58Is something that we've been
01:06:59working on for a very long time,
01:07:01so I know of course with
01:07:03COVID-19 with the pandemic.
01:07:04It has really raised awareness
01:07:06about the issues that we've been
01:07:07working to address for many,
01:07:09many years in the in equities that our
01:07:12communities have faced and one of those,
01:07:14of course is our work to advance
01:07:15racial and ethnic minority
01:07:17participation in clinical trials.
01:07:18We have long work to do this.
01:07:21At FDA we have hosted public meetings.
01:07:23We've developed tools.
01:07:24We've also issued guidance documents,
01:07:25which is a way for us to
01:07:27communicate to the public.
01:07:29Our current thinking.
01:07:30Of course,
01:07:30that they mention diversity in
01:07:32clinical trials is a priority.
01:07:34In support of our agency efforts,
01:07:36our office developed a ongoing
01:07:38public education and outreach
01:07:39campaign and that campaign really
01:07:41works to try to overcome some of the
01:07:44barriers from diverse communities.
01:07:45From participating in clinical trials,
01:07:47making sure that we have resources
01:07:49available that highlight,
01:07:50for example, what a clinical trial is,
01:07:52what it means to participate
01:07:54in the clinical trial,
01:07:56and why we need diverse participation.
01:07:58We have videos we have public
01:08:00service announcements we engage
01:08:01in social media outreach.
01:08:03We really work at amplify these messages,
01:08:05especially during.
01:08:06COVID-19 because it was so important
01:08:08for us to have diverse representation
01:08:10not only in our vaccine trials,
01:08:12but also in the treatment
01:08:13trials that were ongoing.
01:08:14So we really work to amplify those
01:08:16messages about the importance of
01:08:18diverse participation and also
01:08:19as part of this ongoing campaign.
01:08:21Again work that we've been
01:08:23doing for a number of years.
01:08:25We also have a lot of close
01:08:27collaborations and partnerships.
01:08:28As I mentioned earlier,
01:08:29that was also part of our engagement
01:08:31with the Yellow Culture Ambassadors,
01:08:33which has been so critical because as
01:08:35part of our ongoing collaborations from.
01:08:37Working across government academia industry,
01:08:39working with the Yellow Cultural Ambassadors,
01:08:40we know that community engagement is
01:08:42so important and that is one of the
01:08:45strategies that can help us be successful.
01:08:47And enrolling a diverse population an
01:08:49as Reverend Perry in Clayton has said
01:08:51and what they've also of course work
01:08:54to help us educate others on is the
01:08:56fact that we need to have bidirectional
01:08:58engagement with the community.
01:08:59We need to make sure that we have
01:09:02consistent engagement with the
01:09:03community and also that we are making
01:09:05sure that we have long term strategies
01:09:07to engage with the community.
01:09:09And all of that is important in our
01:09:11in our work on related to diversity
01:09:13in clinical trials and one other
01:09:15area that I'll just highlight.
01:09:16I mentioned the fact that this is work
01:09:18that we've been doing for a number of years.
01:09:21Of course, also during COVID-19 and
01:09:23amplifying and raising awareness.
01:09:24But we also do this for other
01:09:26diseases and conditions.
01:09:27One of those, for example,
01:09:28is Lucas.
01:09:29We actually have patient listening sessions
01:09:30that are coming up related to that,
01:09:32so I did want to highlight that
01:09:34we know that when we talk about
01:09:36clinical trial diversity,
01:09:37we need to think about that across
01:09:39the diseases and conditions that
01:09:40impact our minority communities.
01:09:42Thank you teacher.
01:09:43I wonder if you could share the Yale
01:09:46Center for Clinical Investigation.
01:09:48An insight ESA have supported a
01:09:49lot of this work in increasing
01:09:52inclusion in our clinical trials,
01:09:54and if you could share a little bit
01:09:57about that and maybe even talk about.
01:10:01How? Why did YCC I start the
01:10:04Cultural ambassadors program?
01:10:07Thank you so much and just to echo,
01:10:09were Admiral Rojo's comments.
01:10:11You know, we've been thrilled
01:10:13to work in this space and it
01:10:15really was born out of a need.
01:10:18We, like many other centers
01:10:19when we started this effort,
01:10:21most of our clinical trials had
01:10:23very low representation of minority
01:10:25populations in any of our clinical
01:10:27trials and I think it was really when
01:10:30we started the ambassadors program.
01:10:32We we we heard from the community
01:10:34that the only way we were going to
01:10:37change this was to have the voice
01:10:39of the Community at the table.
01:10:42And so it's been wonderful to
01:10:44partner with Raml Rojo and the
01:10:46FDA over the past few years.
01:10:48But also with Marcella with Alan with
01:10:50with our our wonderful principle,
01:10:52investigators like on Emma
01:10:54Ann and the ambassadors.
01:10:55But really, in this platform approach,
01:10:57thinking about not only supporting the
01:11:00ambassadors and making sure that they
01:11:02have the information and that they can,
01:11:04we can support what they're
01:11:06trying to do in the Community.
01:11:08But having them at the table at the
01:11:11time when we're designing this study,
01:11:13having them at the table as
01:11:15we think about recr.
01:11:17Admit strategies and so making
01:11:18sure that our our trials are
01:11:21designed in a way that actually
01:11:23facilitate diverse participation.
01:11:24Making sure as as Marcela already mentioned,
01:11:27that we're thinking about
01:11:29issues like transportation or,
01:11:30as Alan mentioned,
01:11:31that we're thinking about how to reach them,
01:11:34whether that be through the electronic
01:11:37medical record you're making.
01:11:38Sure those record those those
01:11:40those invitations are culturally
01:11:41and linguistically appropriate,
01:11:43or reaching them at a pop-up
01:11:45clinic at the church and our
01:11:48work did begin prior to Covanta.
01:11:50I we are.
01:11:53All here talking about Covid in the
01:11:55spotlight that covert has shown on these
01:11:58issues of of health inequity and disparity,
01:12:01but it is really important.
01:12:03There are lots of clinical trials we have,
01:12:06you know.
01:12:06Diabetes,
01:12:07cardiovascular disease,
01:12:07cancer, other areas.
01:12:09HIV, which is the area that only Amor
01:12:12works in when he's not doing this.
01:12:14But I think that it's very
01:12:16important to to focus and make sure
01:12:19that we have awareness about the
01:12:22importance of importance of diverse.
01:12:24Participation across all clinical research
01:12:26because that's how we'll get the answers.
01:12:28That's how we'll make sure that we
01:12:30know that drugs and devices are safe
01:12:33and effective across populations,
01:12:34and so I think that that's a those
01:12:37are really important messages that
01:12:39that we that we that we have been
01:12:42focused on here in Connecticut,
01:12:44and part of why we formed the
01:12:46cultural ambassadors because we
01:12:48knew that that having those voices,
01:12:50those trusted voices was going to
01:12:52be the way to reach the community
01:12:54and make sure that they understood.
01:12:57It had all other questions answered
01:12:59as they considered clinical trials
01:13:01participation.
01:13:03Maybe I'll turn to Reverend Perry
01:13:05and Reverend Clayton and Clayton
01:13:07piece of talked about this importance
01:13:09of a bidirectional partnership.
01:13:11And I know you've been both very active
01:13:14in the community and in influencing.
01:13:17For example, pushing for flu vaccination
01:13:19and talking about the areas where
01:13:22you'd like to see more research.
01:13:24I wonder if you could share your
01:13:26thoughts on where you'd like to
01:13:29see clinical research and what you
01:13:31think would be of highest impact.
01:13:41I think that one of the in terms
01:13:45of our bidirectional relationship.
01:13:47One of the. One of the good things is that.
01:13:51Were able to say to.
01:13:56Two aryel investigators NYCC I hear us.
01:13:59Here are some of the things that
01:14:02impact our community and we want to
01:14:05focus on on these things like sickle
01:14:08cell or prostate cancer or or health
01:14:11breast cancer and and so then we.
01:14:14We in our partnership they help us to
01:14:18bring researchers and then we can talk to.
01:14:21And then we can help them while
01:14:23they help lead us so that when we
01:14:26talk to our our people we can say,
01:14:28you know, there's a study going
01:14:30on or there's a possibility that
01:14:32a trial may be helpful to you.
01:14:34And I think that's that's that's phenomenal.
01:14:37It's not 1 sided.
01:14:39It's not one way,
01:14:40but it's it's bidirectional and I like that.
01:14:44The other thing is,
01:14:45even in the structuring of what we do,
01:14:47we are able to sometimes.
01:14:52Push forward with our own ideas and
01:14:54agendas with regards to what we
01:14:57think will help get the message out.
01:15:00For example, I had been stressing
01:15:02for three years that we needed to
01:15:05be on this black radio station and
01:15:07finally we got our our our approval
01:15:10so that now on on any given Monday
01:15:13we can have people from Yale,
01:15:16professional people, doctors,
01:15:17people from IRB people who are doing
01:15:21research to come on to the show.
01:15:23And and meet with our community
01:15:26through to the zoom session
01:15:28through Facebook and radio Live.
01:15:31We also have a newspaper.
01:15:34So that when people look at the newspaper,
01:15:37they don't see pictures of just
01:15:39Caucasian people in medicine,
01:15:40they see us working with K Caucasian
01:15:42people and in health industry and it
01:15:45makes it makes it more palatable for them
01:15:47when they know that we are involved in this.
01:15:50And this is, you know,
01:15:52we we we are stressing,
01:15:54uh, you know,
01:15:55across the board we have so many
01:15:57plans and you know, I really,
01:15:59I really feel that if I air them
01:16:02now they may have a hopeful chance.
01:16:05Like a young Ambassador plan an
01:16:07what I called the reparation plan,
01:16:09which is to help more minorities get
01:16:11involved in in the healthcare industry
01:16:14starting with junior high and high school.
01:16:16I think that those are things
01:16:18that we're looking for sponsors
01:16:20and people to help us to do,
01:16:23but I think that could change the
01:16:25face of medicine and the disparity
01:16:27that that lag somewhere between
01:16:29why we go and why we don't go to
01:16:32see our primary care physician.
01:16:38Urban Clayton do you have?
01:16:39Do would you like to add anything?
01:16:44Dream Brown I think Doctor Perry
01:16:47covered that very very well,
01:16:50so I did all that that those comments. OK,
01:16:54Dean Brown may. May
01:16:56I just address one thing
01:16:59Reverend forever Perry.
01:17:01So thank you, Reverend Perry,
01:17:03for our listeners are cultural ambassadors
01:17:06have so many wonderful ideas that it
01:17:08takes me some time to catch up with them.
01:17:11But we are on the radio show.
01:17:13You can find all of the past
01:17:16shows on the on the Cultural
01:17:18Ambassadors website of the YCC I.
01:17:20And you can hear actually Marcella
01:17:22has done one of the shows only
01:17:25ammo has done one of the shows and
01:17:27Doctor Ballsack will be joining
01:17:29the ambassadors on March 15th so.
01:17:32We are in fact trying to keep
01:17:34up and we do have a program.
01:17:37The young ambassadors and it is
01:17:39very much tide into some of the
01:17:41pipeline initiatives that are
01:17:43so very important to all of us.
01:17:45And I don't know you and
01:17:47marcella both have had many.
01:17:48You have many plans for how we can
01:17:51work on and diversify our pipeline.
01:17:53If either one of you would like to join
01:17:56me in helping Reverend Perry tonight.
01:18:02Will you please to help? I pledge to help.
01:18:06In your spare time, so Marcella you.
01:18:10Your research interest is HealthEquity,
01:18:12and I'm wondering if you could comment
01:18:15on whether code the kovid pandemic has
01:18:18changed the way you think about that.
01:18:24Thank you, I appreciate that
01:18:26opportunity to reflect on that.
01:18:28You know, I think. Anne.
01:18:32You know some of the things we've
01:18:34been talking about tonight have
01:18:36are sort of core principles and
01:18:39values for HealthEquity research,
01:18:41and you know this is a field that
01:18:43has evolved even some in my my couple
01:18:46decades here where we've moved from
01:18:49talking about health disparities.
01:18:51Sort of observing and cataloguing
01:18:54differences to talking about HealthEquity
01:18:56and health justice and using a very
01:18:58social justice framework to think about.
01:19:01How we've gotten to where we are.
01:19:04Sort of systematic denial of access to
01:19:06opportunity and resources for certain
01:19:08groups and communities in our country,
01:19:10and helps us to think about
01:19:12how we solution find,
01:19:14which is where we should be.
01:19:17Not admiring the problem,
01:19:18but intervening on it and doing so in
01:19:21deep partnership in the ways we've been
01:19:24talking about in a bidirectional way.
01:19:26Showing up with the expertise
01:19:28that we bring from academia.
01:19:29Recognizing that's not all the expertise
01:19:32needed to solve to solve for an equity,
01:19:34so you know,
01:19:36I think what thinking ahead to the work.
01:19:40What is perhaps promising is the collective.
01:19:43Now having really insights into in equities,
01:19:46having conversations and spaces
01:19:48in places that are overdue.
01:19:50But I think people are showing up
01:19:54in earnest to think about how do
01:19:57we move forward. It is just key.
01:20:00That coming out,
01:20:02building resilience into our recovery
01:20:04that we are incredibly intentional about,
01:20:06making sure that we are disrupting
01:20:08the patterns that have been
01:20:10so predictable for so long,
01:20:12which communities will be hit the hardest.
01:20:14And so I think that is one of the
01:20:17hopes and promises for COVID-19 moving
01:20:19forward is that we will no longer,
01:20:22for those of us who are HealthEquity
01:20:26researchers.
01:20:26We so many of us have just said,
01:20:29well,
01:20:29we are sadly not surprised and
01:20:31really just to disrupt that moving
01:20:32forward is absolutely key.
01:20:36Great. It's it's a. It's been
01:20:39a very fast hour and a half.
01:20:42We have about 9 minutes left and what I
01:20:45would like to do with those 9 minutes
01:20:47is just give each of our panelists the
01:20:50opportunity to make any last comment.
01:20:52So Doctor bosses Akal start with you.
01:21:03Tom, are you?
01:21:08I was inviting panelists. I froze OK.
01:21:13Arzum world yes. Well, connectivity at
01:21:15home is not sometimes the best.
01:21:19I'm sorry I missed it
01:21:20'cause I was frozed. Yes.
01:21:22Well I'm inviting we have just
01:21:24a few minutes left and I wanted
01:21:26to give everybody a chance
01:21:28to make any last comments.
01:21:29If you would like to say anything
01:21:31more about the system's response
01:21:33to cobit or the vaccination
01:21:35program 833, ask why NHH.
01:21:37If you're going to sign up for vaccine,
01:21:39we gotta get that number out there.
01:21:42We're going to be doing a lot more
01:21:44pop up vaccines across Bridgeport,
01:21:46New London and of course New Haven.
01:21:49You know these conversations
01:21:50are so important to get.
01:21:52I love the term Marcelo was using.
01:21:54Say that again, it's not hesitancy.
01:21:57It's vaccine, confidence, confidence.
01:21:58I love the way you flipped it around an.
01:22:01I think that you know combination of
01:22:03access and confidence will get us there.
01:22:06So in these conversations,
01:22:07get all of us smarter every
01:22:09time we have them.
01:22:12Alan
01:22:14thank you Tim Brown.
01:22:15So I think you know for us just
01:22:18it's been a pleasure working with
01:22:20culture ambassadors and I think
01:22:21teaching myself and others just,
01:22:23you know, understand that technology
01:22:24is not going to solve everything,
01:22:26but we certainly wanted to help you know.
01:22:29Bridge any devise as much as
01:22:31possible and welcome you know
01:22:32ideas and novel solutions and we're
01:22:34happy to brainstorm with you.
01:22:36Know one of those and continue working
01:22:38with the culture ambassadors to do so.
01:22:41Great. Onyema
01:22:46yeah, so just reflecting back at COVID-19,
01:22:49I think that it's been great to see the
01:22:52success is that can be achieved with
01:22:55collaboration and I think just listening
01:22:57in on the call from you know those
01:23:00involved in regulatory those in thinking
01:23:02about HealthEquity bringing IT solutions.
01:23:04You know system solutions to addressing
01:23:06disease, an developing, malleable
01:23:08systems that can adapt to and improvise.
01:23:10And you know just it's just amazing.
01:23:13And I hope things don't end with covid.
01:23:16I hope that. Some of the things
01:23:18that we plan we carry on with us.
01:23:21I also think that COVID-19 just
01:23:23following up on the question,
01:23:25Dean Brownie asked Marcela,
01:23:26I think that you know some of these
01:23:29inequities have existed and COVID-19
01:23:30has just blown it wide open and I
01:23:33think it's been an eye opener for
01:23:35people who were probably previously
01:23:36blind or not fully appreciative of,
01:23:38you know some of those issues
01:23:40and I hope that you know these
01:23:42opportunities that have been created.
01:23:44We can, you know, address them,
01:23:46head on and hopefully make some headway.
01:23:48In the future addressing these huge problems.
01:23:52Thank you, Marcela.
01:23:56Thank you, I'm just again so grateful to have
01:23:59been in this conversation and cannot resist.
01:24:01But to bring the public health message,
01:24:03we are so very close we're on the
01:24:05cusp of increased supply for vaccine,
01:24:07so I'm asking everyone just to recommit for
01:24:09a little bit longer to all the things that
01:24:12we know will work to keep ourselves safe,
01:24:14our family safe,
01:24:15our community safe, you know.
01:24:17I say the mask is my friend.
01:24:19Please wear your mask right?
01:24:20If you were living in a multi
01:24:22generational home or people who are
01:24:24at risk and you were out and about.
01:24:26You can wear a mask at home.
01:24:28We do it here in my family, right?
01:24:30The social distancing on the hand washing
01:24:32just a little bit longer right now is
01:24:34not the time to let down our guard.
01:24:36Please please please.
01:24:37We were so close to being able to
01:24:39have enough vaccine supply for
01:24:41all of the adults in the country,
01:24:43so just a little bit longer.
01:24:44Thank you, thank you, thank you.
01:24:47Thank you.
01:24:49Amral
01:24:54I'm also when I say you know,
01:24:56huge thank you for the opportunity
01:24:58to participate in discussion tonight
01:25:00and I'm going to use my last moments
01:25:02of my last kind of input to answer a
01:25:05question that actually came in and said,
01:25:07what resources does your office have for
01:25:09diverse communities related to the vaccine?
01:25:11So I did want to highlight that we
01:25:13just recently released two videos
01:25:15that talk about the importance
01:25:17of vaccination for communities.
01:25:18You can find that on FPS YouTube page.
01:25:21Of course, I just want to echo
01:25:23what Doctor Nunez.
01:25:24Smith just mentioned vaccines or
01:25:26one of the safest tools to prevent
01:25:28infectious diseases like COVID-19.
01:25:29It's so important to protect you
01:25:31and your loved ones from the virus,
01:25:34so also, you know,
01:25:35emphasizing the point of mask,
01:25:36wearing,
01:25:37hand washing and social distancing
01:25:38because it's so important.
01:25:40And I did also want to close out
01:25:42with one other on resource that
01:25:44I think is just really helpful.
01:25:46I mentioned are sent for
01:25:48biologics evaluation and research.
01:25:49They are our experts related to
01:25:51vaccines and doctor Peter Marks
01:25:53the director for that center.
01:25:55Just held a webinar with our
01:25:57office last week.
01:25:58It was an hour long webinar where he
01:26:00talked about what diverse communities
01:26:02need to know about the chobit 19
01:26:04vaccines so we will make sure that
01:26:06all of those that are participating
01:26:08tonight have those resources.
01:26:09Thank you, thank you and
01:26:11our hosts for this evening.
01:26:12Let me start with Reverend Perry.
01:26:19I would simply say that.
01:26:23In in this darkness,
01:26:25we've come together and that.
01:26:28God is somehow giving us a light.
01:26:32And that's good news,
01:26:34because you can't say that
01:26:36he did not provide us with.
01:26:38A solution to this situation.
01:26:41So science and faith have come together
01:26:44and we March in hand in hand to victory.
01:26:47And that's my sermon.
01:26:49And I'm not gonna ask for an offering.
01:26:52But that's the sermon we have.
01:26:54We have. We have 3 three vaccines and
01:26:57three is the biblical number for us,
01:27:00and so we just urging everyone to
01:27:02to take this vaccine to trust.
01:27:05In this pandemic,
01:27:06the best solution that all of our
01:27:09great minds have come up with an.
01:27:11I just think this panel for
01:27:13helping our communities and other
01:27:15communities get a better understanding
01:27:17and a better grip on what this.
01:27:20This pandemic has done and is doing to
01:27:22us and how we can address it and look at it.
01:27:25Thank you Reverend Clayton.
01:27:30Thank you Dean Brown.
01:27:33Faith without works. Is dead.
01:27:38So we pray now that we will
01:27:41go to work and we hope that.
01:27:44Those that were on the
01:27:47zoom call tonight will.
01:27:50Who were on the fence in terms of
01:27:52taking their or getting the vaccine,
01:27:54which would jump on board
01:27:56because the vaccine is safe?
01:27:58Effective and it save lives.
01:28:05Thank you, and last, I'd like
01:28:07to turn this to Keisha Harris,
01:28:10who organized this evening's seminar
01:28:12and ask you for your last words.
01:28:17So I'm I'm going to take the
01:28:19podium for for like Rear Admiral,
01:28:22Rojo and Marcella did to make
01:28:24our clinical trials play that.
01:28:26It's been really important to have
01:28:29people like us in the vaccine trials
01:28:31and people like us did participate.
01:28:34This was a trial that included
01:28:36people who had type 2 diabetes,
01:28:38people who had high blood
01:28:40pressure and so many others,
01:28:42and I think it's really important
01:28:45to just celebrate the success.
01:28:47Here in Connecticut we know our own site.
01:28:50We were able to have 41% of our participants
01:28:53be from under represented populations,
01:28:55but we want to have that achievement
01:28:57across the board an even higher
01:29:00greater so that we really understand
01:29:02those issues of health and equity.
01:29:04We understand those issues as
01:29:06it relates to the therapeutics
01:29:08and the medicines that we have.
01:29:10An aswer Admiral Rojo says that
01:29:12we really we need to carry these
01:29:14important lessons that we've learned
01:29:16from Kovit but take them into all
01:29:19of other the other diseases in
01:29:21the other fights that we have,
01:29:23because we need to make sure that we
01:29:25have treatments in all of these areas
01:29:28where we have a disproportionate impact
01:29:30on the on our black and Brown populations,
01:29:32and and so it's really just so
01:29:35important for us to think about that.
01:29:37It's also very important that are black
01:29:40and Brown communities that we still
01:29:42seek health care and that we take care
01:29:44of our diabetes in our hypertension.
01:29:46And all of those other.
01:29:48Comorbidities that we have during covette
01:29:50and it is safe and so I just want to
01:29:53make sure that everyone understands that
01:29:54and then just on a programming note.
01:29:57I know that there have been
01:29:59a lot of questions tonight.
01:30:01A lot of links we had.
01:30:03I think I maybe 30 or so questions
01:30:05that were pre submitted so we will
01:30:08be posting this video on our way CCI
01:30:11website with the rest of the town
01:30:13halls that have been conducted by
01:30:15our health system and our partners.
01:30:17We will also be posting all of the links,
01:30:20many of which have been posted in the chat,
01:30:23but we will be providing links to those
01:30:26resources that have been referenced
01:30:28tonight and thank you very much.
01:30:30Jean Brown for.
01:30:31Moderating this session tonight
01:30:33and keeping all of us
01:30:34moving. Thank you so much.
01:30:36Thanks to all of our panelists.
01:30:38Goodnight goodnight.

​YCCI & the Yale Cultural Ambassadors host: "COVID Community Connection: What You Need to Know About the Vaccine and COVID-19"

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YCCI & the Yale Cultural Ambassadors host: "COVID Community Connection: What You Need to Know About the Vaccine and COVID-19"