Duquesne Professors, Students Vaccinate Thousands in Hill District

In an effort to vaccinate the region’s vulnerable residents, Duquesne pharmacy, nursing and health sciences faculty and students have vaccinated more than 2,000 people at Allegheny County’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution site in the Hill District in just a few weeks.

After a slightly slow start, the clinic is vaccinating nearly 200 people every day but Sunday.

These Duquesne faculty and students have been trained in storage, handling and administration of the vaccine. In addition, the School of Pharmacy has trained hundreds of pharmacists and students during the past several months to deliver the vaccine.

The Hill District site, located in Central Baptist Church, hopes to vaccinate thousands more from underserved areas during the next several weeks, according to Dr. Jennifer Elliott, director of the University’s Center for Integrative Health (CIH).

Black and low-income communities have been hit disproportionately hard by COVID-19 cases and deaths. The Hill District site will address gaps in vaccine distribution, targeting specific communities that have not been reached by traditional means.

“We are working diligently to promote equitable vaccine distribution,” Elliott said. “Many of these residents face significant barriers to health care and other needs. We are pleased to partner with the Allegheny County Health Department and Central Baptist Church to provide a vital service at such a critical moment.”

Duquesne’s expertise in promoting health equity and opportunities in the Pittsburgh region, and its experience in delivering health services to the Hill District, should be reassuring to people who are hesitant about the vaccine, the Rev. Victor Grigsby, Sr., pastor of Central Baptist Church, said.

“We are excited to work with the county and Duquesne to provide the COVID-19 vaccine to those living in the Hill and other underserved areas,” said Grigsby, who received the vaccine at the new center. “The vaccine is safe and effective, and provides important protection from COVID, not only for ourselves but also for our families and friends.”

Staffing of the vaccine site is just the latest example of the University’s commitment to building healthier communities in underserved areas. Last fall, the CIH conducted chronic disease health screenings and provided flu immunizations to housing authority residents in the city of Pittsburgh.

In addition, the CIH recently received a $475,000 grant from the Hillman Foundation for the Bridges to Health program, which addresses disparities in COVID-19 and disease outcomes in Hazelwood and Clairton. Previously, Duquesne operated a pharmacy in the Hill District for more than 10 years before selling it to UPMC in 2019. University pharmacy students still work in the space.

Duquesne pharmacy students have already administered more than 3,000 COVID-19 vaccinations in various health care settings, offering them the opportunity to work alongside faculty in a wide range of health environments.

“It’s another great opportunity to partner with the community to live our mission and to prepare our students for their careers, allowing them to interact with patients to provide services, support and education that eventually leads to healthier communities,” Elliott said.