LAUSR

Public health officials have raised awareness about the disproportionate impact of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on minoritized populations including Black, Hispanic/Latinx (hereafter Latinx), Asian and Native Americans in testing, infection, hospitalization, and death [1]. The higher infection rate and poorer outcomes in these populations are likely associated with social determinants of health such as living in areas with high rates of COVID-19, crowded living conditions, overrepresentation in high-risk occupations (e.g., essential workers), treatment access disparities, lower health knowledge, and underlying health conditions [2]. In recent months, the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved three preventative vaccines; yet reports indicated that large portions of U.S. residents did not plan to take the drugs [3]. Vaccine hesitancy is the deferral or refusal of accessible vaccines and varies based on demographic factors such as race/ethnicity, religion, and socioeconomic status [4]. In November of 2020, only 42% of Blacks, compared to 63% of Latinx, 61% of Whites, and 83% of Asian Americans, said they would be willing to take a COVID-19 vaccination if it were available today [5]. Beyond preexisting anti-vaccination attitudes (e.g., Anti/Vax), current mistrust in minoritized communities is primarily driven by historical injustices (e.g., Tuskegee Syphilis Study, eugenics sterilization movement), distrust of the political administration in power at the start of the pandemic, fears about the potential long-term side effects, and the erosion of trust with the healthcare community [6]. As healthcare professionals and public leaders scramble to address vaccine hesitancy, prior research suggests that most likely few are doing so utilizing evidence-based intervention approaches or evaluations, which can backfire [7]. Others are not evaluating or