Rutgers Global Health Institute is helping underserved communities in Essex, Mercer, and Middlesex counties hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic offer residents accessible vaccination and testing. The effort, funded by a New Jersey Department of Health grant, is breaking down many barriers low-income and minority populations can face in getting vaccinated and tested, including inaccessible locations, employment conflicts, immigration status, language barriers, and cultural norms. “Our program coordinators live in the communities we serve and speak the languages households primarily speak,” says Richard Marlink, director of Rutgers Global Health Institute. “We are also going where the need is, providing pop-up clinics people can travel to without a car, and offering evening and weekend hours for people who cannot miss work to get vaccinated and tested.” To read the full story.