In the United States, COVID-19 disproportionally impacts immigrant and refugee communities. Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the International Organization for Migration, the University of Minnesota recently began a nationwide project aiming to specifically disseminate COVID-19-related resources to immigrants and refugees.

To start, the University of Minnesota established the National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants, and Migrants in November 2020. Two doctors from the medical school, including Dr. Shailey Prasad of family medicine and community health, are currently leading the center and in the process of recruiting professionals from immigrant and refugee communities to join them.

Dr. Prasad noted that the center will create a resource webpage with tools, training materials, and best-practice guidelines. In collaboration with community organisations, the center plans to disseminate important health-related information—such as contact tracing and vaccination—with the target communities. Because of different individual perspectives about these health guideline recommendations, some people do not have sufficient trust to adopt them. This means building trust within the communities is an essential first step.

As of December 4th, 2020, the center began recruiting. A community leadership board with experts from immigrant and refugee communities will work with the center staff on an one-year project. The board members include Saw Htoo Wah, a former refugee and currently a COVID-19 contact tracer, and Wynfred Russell, executive director of African Career, Education and Resource (ACER).

To learn more about the initiative, visit: https://sahanjournal.com/coronavirus/university-of-minnesota-covid-19-cdc-national-resource-center-refugees-immigrants-migrants/