This research examined Calgary-area community-health partnerships that developed during 2021-2022 in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency to address COVID-19 vaccination challenges for newcomer refugees and immigrants. Researchers focused on key interviews with 13 key informants, 39 refugees, and 3 sponsors of refugees. Community partners played crucial roles in information translation, outreach, and advocacy, creating innovative culturally-responsive vaccination approaches when public health systems had limited capacity to adapt and incorporate culturally responsive ways of delivering vaccines en masse in Calgary. While partnerships effectively increased vaccine uptake through community-informed strategies, a key concern remains that the health system has not sufficiently integrated these collaborative approaches for long-term vaccination equity into non-COVID vaccine delivery.
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