REPORT: Ethnic minority and vulnerable communities perceptions of COVID-19 vaccine studies

The NIHR Clinical Research Network has established a COVID-19 Vaccine Research Delivery Group. The role of this group is to coordinate resources and intelligence to deliver these new COVID-19 vaccine studies across the UK. This work involves establishing regional facilities which will recruit participants at scale and pace and to this end the Clinical Research Network East Midlands (CRNEM) established The East Midlands Vaccine Research Delivery Group. The CRNEM are leading and managing the regional effort and commissioned The University of Leicester, Centre for BME Health to undertake this community consultation to support our understanding and thus delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine studies.

Public perceptions towards vaccine trial research within ethnic minority and vulnerable communities

• 3 focus groups and 47 interviews were held, via virtual platforms and telephone calls, with different groups between July and August 2020 by 6 interviewers.
• 70 people contributed to the study. 55 people (26 males, 29 females) represented different ethnicities, and 15 represented other vulnerable groups, namely mental health, homeless and Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.
• South Asian (30), African and African Caribbean (17), White Polish (4) and White British (3) backgrounds participated.
• A webinar on “Vaccine Trials and Mental Ill Health” was conducted with 11 participants.
• Interviews were conducted with representatives of Homeless community organisations and the Gypsy, Roma and
• Traveller community organisations.

Topics covered in the discussions:

1. Feelings towards attending hospital for research
2. Feelings towards COVID-19 vaccine research
3. Feelings around the role of PPI and community involvement

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