ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted not only in physical illness and death but it has also precipitated an evolving mental-health crisis. The importance of widespread vaccination is accepted as the best medical hope to lead us out of the pandemic, but that will require population herd immunity to ensure that most people can be considered protected. Addressing vaccination hesitancy, especially that associated with the COVID-19 vaccine, is challenging and can be made even more so by health disparities experienced by individuals in vulnerable groups, including those with mental-health disorders. These disparities may also predispose patients to greater risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and associated complications. To provide optimal care for patients diagnosed with mental-health disorders and those who have other predisposing disparities during the COVID-19 pandemic, pharmacists should have a comprehensive understanding of how these clinical factors may uniquely impact this population and identify and take advantage of opportunities to address them.