Working With the Community to Remove COVID-19 Vaccination Barriers

When the COVID-19 vaccine became widely available in 2021, locating an appointment and finding transportation made access difficult in some communities. Distrust, however, was the bigger hurdle to vaccine adoption. It was urgently important that we find ways to remove these barriers to protect people from the virus and support communities. 

Sherri Carrigan, an Elevance Health Wellness and Peer Recovery Specialist, helped with logistics and paperwork at vaccination events run by the Virginia Department of Health. She’s grateful Elevance Health encourages community volunteering efforts like hers.

“Despite the unfortunate circumstances [of COVID-19], this has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life,” Sherri says. “I’m really happy I’ve been able to give back to the community in this way.”

Read the full story about improving COVID-19 vaccine access