As the pandemic raged in early 2021, hope appeared on the horizon in the form of vaccines. Seizing on that hope, Chancellor Michael F. Collins and UMass President Marty Meehan wrote an op-ed for the Boston Globe calling for the formation of a vaccine corps to mobilize volunteers to help slow the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Less than a month later, the UMass Medical Vaccine Corps was launched.
The new issue of @umassmed magazine, published this month, chronicles the work of the Vaccine Corps, which quickly formed partnerships across the state to deliver more than 93,000 doses of vaccines that allowed recipients to get back to their lives.
The magazine, produced by the Office of Communications, also details the progress and promise of the new VA clinic being built on the Worcester campus. Other stories catch up with the inaugural class of PURCH graduates and highlight UMass Medical School efforts to combat health disparities that were exacerbated by the pandemic, especially in underserved communities in Worcester.
Questions and comments may be sent to UMassChanCommunications@umassmed.edu.
