COVID Equity Response Collaborative Loyola (CERCL)
Loyola volunteers provide free COVID-19 testing at multiple locations in the western suburbs. Photo credit: Lukas Keapproth
A multi-disciplinary approach to address the impact of COVID-19 in communities of color
Early in the pandemic, the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on communities of color was evident. In suburban Cook County, African American and Hispanic/Latinx residents saw COVID-19 case rates 2.5 to 3.5 times higher than that of their White counterparts, respectively. But through the efforts of CERCL (COVID Equity Response Collaborative Loyola), Hispanic/Latinx communities in suburban Cook County will get access to critical information about COVID-19 and access to care.
CERCL is a multi-disciplinary, collaborative network of academic, community, public, and institutional partners working to minimize the harm from COVID to at-risk populations. Through increased testing, supporting contact tracing efforts, and providing social support for those directly impacted by the virus, CERCL will help us better understand what factors promote or hinder COVID-19 spread and inform the necessary interventions for at-risk communities.
CERCL brings together students and faculty from the Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health, the Stritch School of Medicine, the Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing, and the schools of law and social work—each division focused on separate approaches to outbreak mitigation.
CERCL recently received unanimous board approval from the Village of Maywood, one of the hardest-hit suburbs in Cook County, to become a collaborating partner to deploy the COVID-19 vaccine. Loyola University will work with residents of Maywood and nearby communities to get them registered for vaccines, making their appointments—even ensuring that senior residents have transportation to their appointments.
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