Investigating COVID-19 Vaccine Outreach Strategies for Marginalized Newcomer Communities

A mixed-methods study examining the effectiveness of community-engaged COVID-19 vaccine outreach in Alberta — including clinics that delivered roughly 12,200 vaccinations and achieved uptake rates of 81% in meat processing plants and 82% in urban and rural community clinics.

Duration: July 2022 – 31 March 2026

Study team

Principal Investigator: Dr. Gabriel Fabreau

Co-Investigators

Publications

• Holdbrook et al. — "Vaccines for all: A formative evaluation of a multistakeholder community-engaged COVID-19 vaccine outreach clinic for migrant communities."
  Elsevier · March 26, 2023
• Fabreau et al. — "Vaccines alone will not prevent COVID-19 outbreaks among migrant workers — the example of meat processing plants."
  Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infection · February 18, 2022

Posters

• "Newcomers and the Construction of Vaccine Hesitancy: Combatting the Pervasive Notion of Newcomers as Vaccine Hesitant." Hennessey Chartier Ford.
  2024
• "What Are the Experiences of Newcomers Accessing COVID-19 Vaccine Information…" Minnella Antonio et al.
  2023

Oral presentations

• Hassan et al.
  North American Refugee Health Conference · 2022
• Holdbrook et al.
  North American Refugee Health Conference · 2022

Invited lectures

• Fabreau GE — COVID Corner.
  University of Calgary CME · March 23, 2022
• MacDonald N et al.
  N4 Conference · March 2, 2022

Media coverage

• Global News — (Tracy Nagai)
  January 12, 2022
• Calgary Herald — (Jason Herring)
  January 10, 2022
• CBC News — (Jennifer Lee)
  November 24, 2021
• UCalgary News — (Justina Contenti)
  November 8, 2021
• Calgary Herald — (Jason Herring)
  June 2, 2021
• Toronto Star — (Omar Mosleh)
  April 16, 2021
• Calgary Herald — (Madeline Smith)
  April 8, 2021
• Global News — (Adam Toy)
  April 8, 2021

Funding

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

Partners

City of Calgary

Alberta Health Services

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)

Alberta SPOR SUPPORT Unit (AbSPORU)

Centre for Newcomers

Alberta International Medical Graduates Association (AIMGA)

Immigrant Outreach Society

Praxus Health (19toZero)

International Rescue Committee

Society of Refugee Healthcare Providers

United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW)