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This study assessed differences in COVID-19 cases and mortality rates in traditional nursing homes and Green Houses. Green Houses are smaller, more intimate residential living environments that promote personalized care and more tight-knit communities of residents and care givers. Using CMS data, researchers found that, adjusting for age, gender, and disability status, small and large nursing homes had higher COVID-19 cases and mortality rates compared to Green Houses.

The El Bari Clinic launched a telemedicine initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce in-person visits and reduce transportation as a barrier to accessing health care. This cases study notes that the clinic offers patient-centered and culturally competent care to under and uninsured community members, which largely includes working-class ethnic minorities.

Health equity zones aim to eliminate health disparities and promote healthy communities. To create these zones, the Rhode Island Department of Health leveraged various federal, state, and local funding sources. This article describes the program, outcomes and impacts, and advice for local health departments seeking to replicate this model.

A toolkit by the City of Boston on safely creating community fridges in the city. Includes considerations such as fridge locations, permits, food safety, and other logistics to be aware of. The toolkit also offers additional food access resources that may benefit visitors to community fridges.

Community fridges were popularized in the US during the Covid-19 pandemic: community fridge database Freedge showed 12 US fridges in March 2020, and 160 by February 2021. These fridges are open 24/7 and anyone can access them, freely taking or leaving fresh food. Fridges are tailored to the needs of the neighborhood, and operate either more informally among community members, or with 501(c)(3) status and donation partnerships with local grocery stores or organizations. The fridges have been anecdotally successful in increasing food access while complying with Covid safety protocols.

New York City’s Test & Trace Corps worked to reduce Covid-19 testing inequities by developing a mobile testing program focused on communities disproportionately affected by Covid-19. The model engaged community partners to determine the best methods of outreach and utilized multiple testing strategies. Based on the whether and community needs, free testing was offered outdoors, from vehicles, or at community spaces. Testing was both clinician-administered and patient-administered. Community organizations and organizers facilitated outreach to residents in their neighborhoods. The practice was successful in increasing access to testing, contact tracing, and isolation/aftercare support in these communities.

This study compares data from the NYC coronavirus data repository with 2018 American Community Survey 5-year census estimates to examine the distribution of testing sites across New York City by race in May 2020. During this time, the results found that testing sites for primarily Black and Latinx communities increased, but primarily White areas still had the highest number of testing sites. The study team created ZIP-code level maps showing testing site distribution using ArcGIS as a part of this study.

This study develops a microsimulation model of COVID-19 transmission in a homeless shelter and calibrated it to data from surveys conducted during COVID-19 outbreaks in five homeless shelters in three US cities from March 28 to April 10, 2022. The study estimates the probability of averting a COVID-19 outbreak when an exposed individual is introduced into a representative homeless shelter of 250 residents and 50 staff over 30 days under different infection control strategies. The results show that within communities with high COVID-19 community incidence are unable to prevent a large outbreak, despite extensive infection control strategies. This study suggests a need for non-congregate housing in high-risk settings, is needed to avoid outbreaks within these settings.

This study examined the sociodemographic characteristics of the residents of Cameron County, Texas, one of the most Hispanic-populated counties in the United States with over 90% of residents identifying as Hispanic. The study analyzed data from March to December 2020, and studied both social determinants of health and COVID-19 mitigation policies, such as the “shelter in place” mandate. The results show that single parents, those living below the poverty level, and those who do not fluently speak English are at a more increased risk of contracting COVID-19. The shelter in place mandate was able to reduce community transmission within three weeks of implementation, but the results of its impact vary greatly by age, sex, and race.

This study sought to assess the correlation between population and spatial characteristics of COVID-19 by examining positive COVID-19 data from New York City with ZIP Code Tabulation Areas to determine what social determinants of health increase an individual’s risk of contracting COVID-19. Results showed that neighborhoods with larger proportions of Black people, people older than 65, people with heart disease, and people living in densely populated housing are at higher risk of contracting COVID-19.