Exploring social determinants of health: COVID-19 vaccine challenges and solutions

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has negatively shifted the foundations of human health and the well-being of humanity on a global scale. Its contagiousness and lethal symptoms pose a threat to everyone, especially seniors over 65 years, immunocompromised individuals, and people with preexisting health conditions. The factors of the social determinants of health had great influence on the vaccination status for Black and Brown communities. Access to life-saving treatment and resources was hindered by the poor social determinants and socioeconomic status, which led to slow vaccination numbers. This article examines that equitable vaccination access, distribution, and health literacy in Black and Brown communities are all supported by careful analysis of the notion of dignity.

Educating ethically during COVID-19

One of the perplexing features of an infectious disease is the damage it causes, not only to physical health, but to mental health and to social relationships. This tension between the separation that is required for safety and the human need for contact is especially felt by institutions of higher education. Many such institutions not only educate students but seek to foster the kinds of communities which have thrived on personal interaction and shared physical space. Different institutions have responded to COVID-19 and its impacts on their members differently. Given that the spring semester will begin months before COVID-19 vaccines are widely available, we offer seven recommendations and argue that for a university, college, or other similarly situated educational institution to ethically respond to the pandemic, it must follow these recommendations. These recommendations are grounded in both scientific research and ethical analysis. Proper ethical analysis, which is necessary for the implementation of good policies, cannot be accomplished without an evidence-based grounding. After describing features of the virus and the situation that faces higher education institutions, in general, we turn to a detailed discussion of transmission. We discuss interventions available to institutions, including masking, hygiene, barriers, and testing and surveillance. Our recommendations are supported by an ethical analysis reliant on four themes: expertise, planning, stewardship, and dignity.