Welcome to CEAL, the Community Engagement Alliance Against COVID-19 Disparities

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NIH Works With Communities to Respond to COVID-19

Welcome to the first newsletter for the Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) Against COVID-19 Disparities. As we work to respond to COVID-19, one of our goals is to reduce the burden of disease on the hardest-hit communities. NIH is taking several steps toward achieving this goal by partnering with community organizations to address misinformation, build trust, and reduce the impact of COVID-19.

Your role in providing your communities with information about public health and clinical research is vital to addressing COVID-19 in general and health disparities overall. We have resources for you to use as you talk with your communities about COVID-19, the treatments and vaccines being developed, and the importance of being included in these research studies.

Be sure to check the NIH CEAL website regularly to:

A doctor speaks to her female patient in an office

NIH funds community engagement research

The communities of special focus are in Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.

Learn more about how NIH is funding community engagement research efforts in areas hardest hit by COVID-19.

In the release announcing this effort, NIMHD Director Eliseo J. Pérez-Stable, M.D., says, "Building on the strength of local organizations, as well as our long-standing community-engaged research efforts, will help us communicate effectively to address disparities and support the proven resilience within communities. This work will help ensure people get accurate and trustworthy information about the virus, how to reduce its spread, and how to protect themselves and their families."

“Since communities of color have been particularly affected, and also historically underrepresented in clinical research, it is essential that we encourage people to join COVID-19 research studies,” adds NHLBI Director Gary Gibbons, M.D. “That’s why NIH is partnering with messengers who live, work, and worship in the same communities where the disease has caused the highest rates of sickness and death. In the middle of a pandemic, people need to hear familiar, trusted voices they know are advocating for their health and safety.”

Visit the CEAL Site